IMMEDIATERELEASE 6October 2003
The National Union ofTeachers today (Monday 6 October) condemned proposals from the ConservativeParty to introduce a voucher system f or education in England.
Speaking at a fringemeeting at the Conservative Party Conference in Blackpool, organised by theUnion, John Bangs, head of education at the NUT, said:
Vouchers have beenbitterly divisive in the United States.They have damaged successful schools. Parental choice is an illusion andthe organisation of effective education has been undermined.
The Conservativeslast attempt at vouchers, for nursery education, went down like a leadballoon. The net effect was chaos andbureaucracy.
The so called BetterSchools Passport would lead to the same division and dispute.
There is no choicefor the Conservatives but to acknowledge that effective education needssufficient funding and stability.Instead of proposing more structural change, the Conservatives shouldfocus on the Governments incompetent handling of school funding and call for amoratorium on imposed Government initiatives to let schools get on with theirgood work.
EN D PR71/03
NOTE: Speakers at the fringe meeting are Graham Brady,shadow schools minister, Doug McAvoy, NUT General Secretary, and John Bangs,NUT head of education.
For furtherinformation contact: OliveForsythe tel: 020 7380 4706 (office) 020 8313 1692 (weekday evenings) or if allelse fails 07879 480061.