IMMEDIATERELEASE 24 April 2003

EducationSecretarys attack on NUT

Commenting on thespeech from Charles Clarke, Secretary of State for Education, at the NASUWTconference today, Doug McAvoy, NUT GeneralSecretary, said:

By attacking the NUTMr Clarke is rejecting the views of 250,000 teachers because he does not likethe opinions and criticisms expressed by the Union. He is attempting to divide and rule. It is a disgrace that a Labour Minister should employ suchtactics and do so at the conference of another TUC affiliate. Those tactics will only rebound on him.

He launches such anattack only to hide from answering the serious questions posed by the NUT. Hehas made no attempt, for example, to answer the challenge on teachernumbers.

Mr Clarkeattacks the NUT to cover his lack of ananswer on funding. The numbers changebut the problem remains the same. MrClarke will blame anyone but himself.That does not help the children in our schools who are faced with a lackof resources and seeing their teachers being made redundant to be replaced byunqualified, cheaper personnel.

The NUT is determinedto campaign and where necessary fight for high standards in education for allour youngsters.

EN D S pr.31.03

For furtherinformation contact the NUT Press office on: 020 7380 4706 or Olive Forsythevia her mobile on 07879 480061.