ImmediateRelease 29 October 2003
Charles Clarkesstatement on school funding shows that the Government still has a very long wayto go before schools can be sure that they will not face job losses, cuts anddeficits in the next two years.
Schools needed anaverage increase of 11% to stand still this year. A 4% guarantee for the next two years is a very long way fromthat.
Indeed the Secretaryof State acknowledged in his letter to the STRB on October 7th thata 4% per pupil guaranteed increase is insufficient to make good this yearsfunding crisis and meet increased costs next year.
This then is a suckit and see settlement. Only when weknow what each school will receive will we know how many thousands of schoolswill suffer.
The fact that theGovernment is to enable LEAs to borrow is an admission of continuedunderfunding.
There is insufficientmoney to employ the additional teachers necessary to implement the workloadagreement.
More teaching postswill be lost. More teachers will faceredundancy. More pupils will bedisadvantaged by classes being taken by unqualified persons.
Teachers willcontinue to pay for the continuing government created funding crisis and forworkforce reform. The Governmentintends that progress on the Upper Pay Scale will be severely rationed and thatall teachers will suffer a pay freeze until September 2006.
EN D S pr81.03
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