NASUWT: OECD Skills Strategy should give Coalition pause for thought
Monday, 21 May 2012
3:57 PM
Responding to the publication of the OECD Skills Strategy, which sets out ways to improve the supply of and demand for workplace skills to promote economic growth, Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT, the largest teachers’ union, said:
“At a time economic recession, record levels of youth unemployment and major job insecurity, the need to prioritise investment in workplace skills has never been more important.
“The OECD Skills Strategy makes a number of important recommendations which should give the Coalition Government pause for thought.
“In the UK, the Government’s programme of education spending cuts and the decision to axe many vocational programmes of study contrasts starkly with the central message from the OECD report that governments need to equip young people with education, training and skills to enable them to compete for the highly skilled jobs that our economy will need for the future.
“Ministers in the Department for Education should also think again about the wisdom of their decision to remove the requirement for teachers in academy schools and free schools to be professionally qualified.
“Securing a lasting economic recovery will require that all teachers are well prepared and qualified and that they have access to professional development throughout their careers that enables them to continue to equip young people with the knowledge and skills they need.”
ENDS
Lena Davies
Journalist and acting press officer
Campaigns and Communications Team
NASUWT
0121 457 6250 / 07867 392 746
lena.davies@mail.nasuwt.org.uk
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