NUT: The coalition's first 100 days

Tuesday, 17 August 2010 12:00 AM

Looking at the first 100 days of the new Government, the administration could not be accused of inaction or paralysis. In fact the frequency of announcements of policy changes, reviews and the like from the renamed Department for Education has been verging on the hyperactive.

Disappointingly many of the changes are, in the NUT's view, not in the best interests of school communities. Pupils, parents and staff were left confused and disappointed by the axing of well-developed plans to modernise their school buildings. The Government rushed the Academies Bill through Parliament with indecent haste and the resulting legislation paves the way for the introduction of free schools and the expansion of the academies programme. Free schools and Academies jeopardise the comprehensive system; democratic accountability; and the role of local authorities in ensuring fairness and equality of provision to all children and their families.

Halting the extension of free school meals made a mockery of the notion of 'progressive' cuts and the Government urgently needs to demonstrate its commitment to ending child poverty by 2020 in actions rather than just words during the ongoing spending review.

Asking Lord Hutton to review public sector pensions was unnecessary because the long-term affordability of pensions was agreed through reforms that were introduced a little over three years ago. As a result of these reforms all teachers are paying higher contributions and the pension age has been raised to 65 for new entrants to the profession. The Government and sections of the media have not helped matters with their uninformed attacks on 'gold-plated' pension schemes in the public sector.

All of this is not to say that the coalition Government's record is universally bad. Plans to end the detention of children for immigration purposes were welcomed. As were another of the Government's libertarian moves in reviewing the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) to a more 'common sense' approach. The NUT will be lobbying in the autumn to ensure that the revised ISA does not leave teachers out of pocket and without a real opportunity to respond to allegations made against them.

The NUT also welcomed the honouring of the 2.3% pay award for teachers this September, though is naturally concerned that this amounts to a pay cut given that the cost of living is increasing at a faster rate. The planned pay freeze in future years is unacceptable.

The NUT is also pleased that the new Education Select Committee started the ball rolling quickly and effectively before the summer recess in scrutinising the Secretary of State and Partnerships for Schools on the debacle over school buildings.

Looking ahead to the autumn, the NUT sincerely hopes that the promised education white paper focuses on what happens inside the classroom rather than continuing with the expensive and disruptive obsession with structural reform. Our priorities for the new term will be to ensure reform of the assessment and accountability system and start a debate about how to enhance the status of the teaching profession.

CHRISTINE BLOWER
General Secretary
National Union of Teachers

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