CINCINNATI, Oh. (Diya TV) — Businessman and Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is making a big push for education reform, connecting academic achievement to national pride. In a recent social media post, Ramaswamy pointed to troubling statistics: “Seventy-five percent of 8th graders aren’t proficient in math.”
Less than 16% of Gen Z say they’re proud to be American. These aren’t unrelated. Ramaswamy’s platform focuses on revamping Ohio’s educational system by initiating a number of major programs. He promotes paying teachers according to merit, based on their performance and students’ achievements. The proposal attempts to recruit and keep quality teachers by linking salaries to classroom performance.
Besides performance pay, Ramaswamy also advocates introducing a civics test as a requirement for high school graduation. The measure is intended to guarantee that students have a basic understanding of American history and principles and thus will become engaged and educated citizens.
In order to counter distractions and improve grades, Ramaswamy advocates for prohibiting cellular phones in schools during class time. This policy is intended to construct an environment of concentration, avoiding interruptions and fostering student participation.
Ramaswamy further emphasizes school choice and recommends policies permitting parents to choose the optimal education environments for their children, public schools, private schools, or charter schools. He holds the belief that schools compete, leading to improvement and innovation in quality.
In addition, Ramaswamy advocates for a culture of appreciation for academic greatness, especially in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). According to him, developing a culture that honors success in these disciplines is important in ensuring the competitiveness of the United States in the world.
As the 2026 Ohio governor’s race draws near, Ramaswamy’s education platform will work to counter both educational deficits and a perceived lowering of national pride among the young. His initiatives have created statewide debates regarding optimal ways to improve educational outcomes and raise a sense of civic responsibility.
