The attack on education is likely to intensify in the immediate future, and be “rocket boosted” (as the Tories have promised) following the General Election. How do we take the initiative?

How do we build a broad based, sustained positive campaign for education?

How do we pitch our work in the General Election?

 

 

 

In May 1997 following the General Election my Derbyshire Division of the Union put out a press release welcoming “the potential for the rebuilding of our education system which has been severely damaged over the last two decades”.

 

We called for “a People’s Agenda for Education”, with a ten point programme

 

§ A planned, systematic approach to education, based on partnership between schools, parents and LEAs designed to direct resources according to need. An end to fragmentation and competition – the “league table”, “vouchers” and “opt-out” mentality

§ Educational opportunities for all, not a two tier education system based on selection and waste of potential

§ A nationally agreed and locally applied curriculum, designed by the teaching profession rather than political pundits

§ Proper funding for staffing and resources in terms of books, equipment and consumables, not dependent on parental contribution, private sponsorship or charity

§ An immediate reduction in class sizes, and the introduction of legal limits

§ A new contract for teachers, stopping the “burn out” workload

§ The evaluation of schools by the people who work in them together with those who use them – to replace the hostile external inspection such as that imposed by the politically motivated OFSTED

§ Ending the denigration of teachers and recognising their contribution through professional salary levels

§ A major rebuilding programme for the nation’s crumbling schools

§ A properly funded integrated system of education and post-school vocational training designed to meet the needs of students and the nation as we enter the 21^st century.

 

At our School Reps Briefing just a month ago, the Reps “brainstormed” the following, which led to a very good discussion not just on what a  “Statement for Education” should look like, but how we might start to campaign before and after an election for an “Education Charter” as agreed at Conference

 

· A qualified teacher for every class

· An integrated, co-operative state education service, not a fragmented, competing patchwork of “increasingly independent” schools

· A Headteacher for each school, not one between two or three

· The most senior school manager should be a qualified teacher/Headteacher

· Schools should be accountable and controlled by elected Local Authorities

· Teacher professionalism should be the guiding principle of education developments

· Teachers should be responsible and accountable for curriculum development

· All teachers should have the right to CPD and to “sabbaticals” for research and professional development

· No profit making from education

· We should encourage and protect the “public sector ethos” of meeting the needs of the many, not financial gain for the few

· Establish proactive parent-teacher-child-partnerships

· A properly balanced and creative curriculum

· No vocational/academic divide

· A system of professional self regulation, not punitive OFSTED

· Comprehensive education – “A Good Local School for Every Child and Community”

 

One suggestion for our General Election work from our Reps Briefing was that we should keep it very simple and have a single consistent message –

 

“Stop the break up of our education system – no education vouchers!”

 

Are other Associations and Divisions discussing these matters, and how to build a campaign around them together with other unions, governors and parents organisations, local communities etc?

 

The National Executive has a General Election strategy working group, and I think we should all be feeding in ideas through our Executive members. There’s no time to lose.

 

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