NUT: Michael Gove needs to trust teachers
Commenting on today’s speech by Michael Gove to Conservative Party Conference, Christine Blower, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, the largest teachers’ union said:
“We are delighted that Michael Gove has recognised that the vast majority of schools and teachers are doing a fantastic job. Given that the education secretary obviously believes our schools are overwhelmingly excellent, it begs the question why he feels the need to press ahead with changing their structures.
“The majority of the good schools he cites will be state-maintained schools working in their local authority family of schools, ensuring access to high quality central services and knowledge of best practice. The fact is this works.
“If Michael Gove really wants to 'enhance the status of the teaching profession' then this runs counter to many of his policies. He needs to trust teachers and ensure that every child is taught by a qualified teacher, including children in Free Schools.
“While everybody agrees there is a place for phonics in the teaching of reading, teachers should be trusted to determine the most appropriate methods for each child. Developing 'reading for enjoyment', or what the NUT is campaigning for – Reading for Pleasure – is central to education. Cuts to libraries in local areas will not help this.
“The Secretary of State said that he won't quit until every child from poorer families has the same opportunities as the better off. However, academies have been shown to exacerbate social division through their admissions and exclusions policies. Furthermore, Free Schools may well entrench social divisions in education as we have seen in Sweden.
“Education is indeed a 'passport to a better life' but it shouldn't be a case of first class travel for a small elite group of children, and economy for the rest. Unaffordable tuition fees and the reduction of EMA mean that many young people see no future for themselves in post-16 or in further and higher education.”
END pr132-2011
For further details contact Caroline Cowie on 0207 380 4706 or 07879480061
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