ASCL comment on election of Liz Truss as Conservative leader

Commenting on the election of Liz Truss as Conservative leader, Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said:

“There are many pressing issues facing education, but the immediate crisis is the soaring cost of energy bills both for households and for schools and colleges. These costs will plunge more families into poverty and mean more children are left cold and hungry and in no fit state to learn. Given that there is no energy price cap at all for schools and colleges, spiralling bills will mean that they have to cut educational provision in order to balance their budgets.

“We’ve seen the reports of an emergency package of financial assistance apparently due to be announced later this week and we look forward to the detail. We appeal to the new Prime Minister to ensure that she protects families, children, schools and colleges from the potentially devastating impact of these costs.”