Educators are making this stand because we just can’t sit by while yet another real terms pay cut drives teachers and support staff out of the profession. We can’t see our schools crumble due to lack of funding, and our educators burn out because of excessive workload and a punitive and counterproductive accountability regime. And we can’t sit by and see this generation of children suffer because of lack of funding and the crisis that’s sweeping our schools.
The Save Our Schools lobby will highlight:
- The under-funding of education. Last year the Government spent just 4.2 per cent of GDP on education compared with 5.6 per cent in 2010. High-income countries spend an average of 5 per cent of GDP on education. As a result of under-investment in education, primary class sizes are the highest in Europe and secondary class sizes the highest since records began.
- The Government’s failure to recruit enough teachers and retain support staff. This year the Government missed its recruitment targets in most secondary subjects and in primary too. Half a million children are taught by staff who are not qualified in the subject they are teaching. Meanwhile support staff are increasingly leaving their jobs for less pressurised and better paid jobs elsewhere.
- The retention crisis in education. One in four teachers leave the profession within three years of qualification – a third within five. Special needs support assistants leave for jobs with higher pay, fewer hours and less stress.
We need to lobby every MP so they understand that it is time for urgent action from the Government to save our schools – we must invest in this generation of children and young people now! Please sign up to register for the lobby here.