Teachers warn of 'apartheid'

Louise Nousratpour in Manchester
Wednesday September 15, 2010
The Morning Star

TUC Congress: Education Secretary Michael Gove's push for academies and so-called free schools will lead to "educational apartheid" and deepen class divisions, the TUC Congress has warned.

During a debate on education on Tuesday delegates declared unanimous opposition to the Tory's piece-meal privatisation of state schools.

National Union of Teachers general secretary Christine Blower said the motion "spells out our opposition to the fragmentation and privatisation of our education service and our support for a state-funded and democratically accountable education service."

NASUWT delegate Paula Roe stressed that so-called free schools were "not free at all. They cost more and deliver less than state schools."

She warned that the plans would lead to "educational apartheid," adding that recent joint campaigns by unions, community activists and parents had shown "co-ordinated action can challenge the government."

The anti-academies campaign sabotaged Mr Gove's plan to get "thousands" of schools to reopen as academies following his hasty legislation to encourage head teachers to apply for the status.

Only 32 reopened as academies this year.

Other speakers warned that academies and free schools - which are publicly funded and privately run - drained already scarce funding from local schools and higher education colleges.

And Lawrence Hunt of Ucatt said thousands of construction jobs and vital apprenticeship opportunities had been lost due to Mr Gove's decision to scrap the previous Labour government's multimillion-pound school-building programme.

Unite delegate Dave Mathieson warned: "The severe attack on our comprehensive education system will reinforce class divisions and social segregation."