Mill mentions the movement for National Education in the context of his peer John Arthur Roebuck, who attempted to pass legislation for government sponsored universal education as a member of Parliament in 1833. His speech in Parliament describes the distant benefits which will be achieve through national education, and how this education must extend beyond the simple skills of reading, writing, and arithmetic. His resolution also stipulates that money for school funding should first come from private contributions, but taxes can be levied on taxpayers to pay for the cost. Before national education reform gained traction, youth education was handled by church authorities, who stressed religious education in its students; so a transition to government sponsored education would be a dramatic change for Britain when it was implemented towards the end of the 19th century. This movement is very pertinent to the text and Mill’s principles as an utilitarian; in order to promote the happiness of the largest proportion of people, it would logically follow that all people should be educated. Mill and his contemporaries can take some responsibility for the progressive reforms undergoing in the 19th century, as evidenced by Roebuck and his education bill.
Sources:
“NATIONAL EDUCATION.” NATIONAL EDUCATION. (Hansard, 30 July 1833), api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1833/jul/30/national-education.