Conservative education manifesto 'eerily silent' on commitment to invest in education, says NASUWT

18 January 2010

Commenting on the launch of the Conservative Party's draft education manifesto, Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT, the largest teachers' union, said:

"There is no new policy in the draft Manifesto published today and it is eerily silent on any commitment to invest in education.

"David Cameron is right to emphasise the importance of teachers in securing the highest standards of education for all, but what he fails to acknowledge is that they are striving to deliver that day in, day out and have had significant success.

"Teachers will be dismayed and bewildered by the tirade of threats that regrettably have accompanied the launch of the Manifesto.

"Threats to subject teachers to unlimited observation, to tear up contracts, to abandon national pay frameworks and to make it easier to sack teachers are unnecessary and unacceptable. They paint a picture of a failing profession that is unjustified and has no basis in fact.

"Those teachers who taught during the 80s and 90s when the Conservatives were last in government will have a strong sense of déjà vu.

"Anyone thinking of teaching as a career may think again in the light of this attack on the profession.

"I regret that the Conservatives appear to be being seduced by the fallacious arguments of a tiny number of school leaders lobbying for maximum management flexibility.

"I would urge the Conservative leadership to seek to engage constructively and seriously with classroom teachers to help and support them in creating the conditions to deliver the best for every child."

---

Press releases, papers and documents published on this page are the intellectual property of an organisation unrelated to ePolitix.com. We promote their parliamentary and political campaigning activities as they are subscribers to the ePolitix.com service.

As such, ePolitix.com does not edit, endorse, or attempt to balance the opinions expressed on this page. The content of press releases and other such types of content are the responsibility of the originating organisation.