The Conservative leader floated the idea during a speech in Toronto as part of his fact-finding tour of North America.

Mr Hague called for a "common sense revolution" in which decision-making was taken away from central government and handed down to people on the ground.

In education, he said, this could see teachers being given the responsibility of running schools within the framework of a national curriculum and inspection system.

Nigel de Gruchy: "Breathtaking"

The General Secretary of the National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT), Nigel de Gruchy, expressed surprise.

"It's a breathtaking return to common sense. After all the centralising policies of the Tories when they were in power, they are now going into reverse."

Mr de Gruchy added that decentralisation should take place within the framework of a core curriculum and nationally-set pay and conditions for teachers.

The Assistant General Secretary of the Secondary Heads Association, Bob Carstairs, said teachers would have "some sympathy" with Mr Hague's comments.

"There has to be a balance between central government powers and local flexibility."

Mr Hague's comments come at a time when the Conservatives are accusing the government of exercising too much power in the education system.

A key criticism is that policies such as the national literacy hour - a dedicated hour of reading and writing that all primary schools in England are being encouraged to use - are dictating what goes on in the classroom.

A spokesman for the Conservative Party stressed that Mr Hague's comments were not official policy.

"He was setting out the kind of decentralising agenda we would like to see in this country."