Commenting on the publication of the Teachers Working Longer
Review by the DfE, Chris Keates, General Secretary
of the NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union, said:
“The DfE originally intended that its Teachers Working Longer
Review would have reported by October 2016, so that its
conclusions influenced the Government’s decision as to whether to
maintain the link between the state pension age and the teachers’
normal pension age. The Review has over-run by two years and it
has therefore not contributed to the Government’s review of the
future of the pension age which took place in 2017.
“The final report is silent on the issue of an unacceptable and
unrealistic teachers’ current pension age.
“The Review has taken place against a backdrop of continued,
year-on-year increases in teachers leaving the profession,
leading to the greatest teacher shortage crisis for decades. This
crisis in teacher retention affects the whole profession, but is
particularly acute in respect of teachers in the first five years
of their careers. The evidence is that younger teachers are not
prepared to stay in the profession until they are thirty, let
alone a state pension age of 68 plus.
“The Report has made several recommendations on working practices
such as the increased availability of flexible working. Even
though these recommendations are not in themselves unhelpful,
without any meaningful strategy to bring about positive change
within schools the DfE’s final report has to be seen as a wasted
opportunity.
“The DfE’s final report does not address the teaching
profession’s concerns about an unrealistic pension age and the
pressures associated with working longer. No one should be
expected to work until they drop.
“The NASUWT will continue to press the Government for the changes
to teachers pay, pensions and other conditions of service needed
to end the recruitment and retention crisis.”
