Commenting on the Education Secretary’s speech at the
Conservative Party Conference, Kevin Courtney, Joint
General Secretary of the National Education Union, said:
“What this and any other successive government needs to
understand is that unless our schools are properly funded there
will be no world class education system and all other measures
will be nothing more than sticking-plaster solutions to a real
crisis.
“At a time when there is a shortfall in funding of £2 billion a
year in real terms compared to three years ago, today’s
announcement of additional money is a drop in the ocean. We have
66,000 more pupils in schools since last year yet there are 5,400
fewer teachers, 2,800 fewer teaching assistants, 1,400 fewer
support staff and 1,200 fewer auxiliary staff. This is simply not
good enough.
“The Government was told by heads last week that funding cuts
have left some schools in the position where they are cutting
subjects from the curriculum, increasing class sizes, cutting
school trips and after-school clubs, and leaving buildings in
disrepair. Nothing in ’ speech addresses this
desperate situation. As the Conservative Party meets in
Birmingham, 14 schools in the city have cancelled Friday
afternoon lessons because they can no longer afford to staff
classrooms properly. This is a disgrace.
“The Education Secretary must tell the Treasury and the Prime
Minister to listen to the profession and address the crisis in
school funding as well as the teacher recruitment and retention
crisis. Failure to do so will ensure this Government is
remembered for seriously eroding what was a world class education
system. Children and young people deserve so much better. The NEU
will continue to campaign for a fair education for all our
students.”
