Coalition’s betrayal of a generation
Representatives at the Annual Conference of the NASUWT, the largest teachers’ union, will today condemn the devastating impact that the Coalition Government’s austerity measures and education policies are having on young people.
Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT, said:
“The Coalition’s economic strategy and education policies have betrayed a generation of young people.
“They have presided over record levels of youth unemployment, downgrading of vocational education, access to further and higher education restricted by the abolition of the Education Maintenance Allowance, the trebling of tuition fees and employers absolved from any responsibility for providing high-quality apprenticeship and training opportunities.
“The talents of our young people are being squandered and life chances destroyed. Balancing the books at the expense of those on whom the future economic success of this country depends is scandalous.”
NASUWT Press Office contacts:
Ben Padley 07785 463 119
Lena Davies 07867 392 746
Amanda Williamson 07741 246 202
Notes to editors
The NASUWT’s Annual Conference is being held at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Birmingham from 18-21 April.
The full text of the motion is below:
COALITION GOVERNMENT’S ATTACK ON YOUNG PEOPLE
Graham Dawson to move,
Peter Scott to second:
Conference notes with concern that the Coalition Government’s austerity has had a devastating impact on the aspirations and life chances of today’s school and college leavers.
Conference deplores the Coalition Government’s attack on young people and its failure to tackle the problem of record youth unemployment and the devastating waste of the skills and talents of young people which has been exacerbated by:
(i) the abolition of the Education Maintenance Allowance;
(ii) the trebling of university tuition fees and
(iii) the lack of vocational training and apprenticeship places for young people.
Conference further notes that the Coalition Government has squandered the opportunity arising from the raising of the participation age which was meant to ensure access for all 16-18 year olds to education, training and employment.
Conference asserts that the Government’s policies are making it increasingly difficult for schools to motivate and engage pupils.
Conference calls upon the Government to guarantee access to high-quality work-related training places for all 16-18 year olds who want them.
(Executive)
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