NASUWT: Unnecessary draconian measures will be resisted

Friday, 13 January 2012 10:01 AM

Responding to the Government’s reforms of teacher performance management, Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT, the largest teachers’ union, said:

“This is yet another depressingly predictable announcement from a Government seemingly intent on destroying the teaching profession and state-education.

“The draconian measures announced today are totally unnecessary. There is no evidence which demonstrates that there are problems with the current system.

“This announcement will only serve further to devastate teacher morale and endanger future recruitment to the profession and the retention of existing teachers.

“Fortunately for teachers, the NASUWT anticipated these changes and members already have voted overwhelmingly for industrial action on a range of issues, including changes to performance management and pay progression. Action instructions are already in place in schools.

“NASUWT members belong to the most talented generation of teachers our schools have seen and evidence shows they have raised standards consistently year-on-year.

“They deserve better than to have their professionalism constantly denigrated and called into question by policies pursued by a Government which has an ideologically driven contempt for public services and the workforce which delivers them.

“Like other education policies pursued by this Government, these changes have nothing to do with raising standards.

“The NASUWT and its members remain determined to stand up for standards and will oppose these changes vigorously.”

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