NATIONAL UNION OF TEACHERS

PRESSRELEASE

IMMEDIATE RELEASE 23May 2003

Deputy Prime Minister sets up schools funding taskforce

Commenting on the Deputy Prime Ministers announcement thathe is setting up an emergency committee to try to resolve the schools fundingcrisis within weeks, Doug McAvoy, NUT General Secretary, said:

The NUT welcomes the decision of John Prescott to set up anemergency committee to resolve the schools funding crisis. The enquiry is necessary to assure parentsand teachers that schools have the funding they need this year and throughuntil 2006 and to reinforce the important role of LEAs.

The emergency committee is to report within six weeks, butwithin six days teachers and support staff will begin to receive redundancynotices. The Government shouldimmediately promise to provide any additional funding necessary to ensure thatno teacher and no member of support staff is made redundant and that there isno worsening of staffing in any school because of inadequate funding.

END PR.43/03

For further information contact: Olive Forsythe tel: 07879 480061