NASUWT on A-levels: Coalition must end its betrayal of young people
Commenting ahead of the publication of tomorrow’s A-level results, Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT, the largest teachers’ union, said:
“Tomorrow’s results are the culmination of an immense amount of hard work by young people and their teachers. It would be a real boost for them if just for once success and achievement could be the focus of any comment made by Government and its supporters."
“A-levels are extremely challenging qualifications and the year-on-year success of the last decade has been down to the sheer hard work of all involved. Claims of grade inflation, dumbing down and easy options have all been political ruses to justify ideological change. They have no basis in evidence.
“Young people will be receiving their results at a time when the Coalition Government’s economic and education policies are resulting in record youth unemployment levels, spiraling student debt and the removal of financial support for the most disadvantaged students.
“Ministers have sought to diminish the current A-level system in order to introduce an increasingly elitist system which strips away young people’s entitlement to a qualifications system which enables them to study a broad and balanced curriculum, opens the door to a wide range of career choices and options for further study and prepares them for life in the 21st century.
“Not only are these policies a scandalous betrayal of the right of all young people to an education system which supports them to meet their interests and aspirations, but the Government then compounds its betrayal by diminishing their examination achievements.
“It is time for this Government to commit to supporting and investing in all young people and equipping them with the tools to become successful and confident individuals who can make a full contribution to our society.”
ENDS
Lena Davies
Press and Media Officer
Campaigns and Communications Team
NASUWT
0121 457 6250 / 07867 392 746
lena.davies@mail.nasuwt.org.uk
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