All of the main parties have had to respond by making some kind of pledge that they will act on school cuts. However, not all of those promises are quite what they seem. That's why it's worth checking out the facts on the updated school cuts website to see the impact on your local school. Here's mine:
Why the stark differences between Tory and Labour pledges?
The Conservatives’ are only promising to give only £1 billion per year - but schools are facing a £3bn real terms cut in their annual funding by 2019-20 - and that's according to the National Audit Office, not the NUT or the political parties.
As the NUT said in response to the Conservative manifesto: “The £1 billion promised does nothing at all to cover the present crisis. Schools already need £2.2 billion more just to cover the impact of inflation and cost increases imposed by the Government since it was elected just two years ago. Class sizes will still go up, school staff will be reduced, subjects will be dropped from the curriculum, and school buildings will continue to fall into a state of disrepair ... In contrast, the Liberal Democrats are pledging to put in that £3 billion per year and Labour £6.3 billion per year by 2020/21".
Check the facts - and Vote for Education on 8 June
In an election where the facts are often being hidden under a cloud of partisan reporting from the mainstream media, it's worth taking a look on the schoolcuts website and sharing it with your friends and family. You can also use it to email your local candidates to ask them to respond.
Luckily, young people in particular are not so easily taken in - have a look at the reaction to this acceptance speech by the 'Prom King' at Sydenham/Forest Hill VI Form last week:
This NUT campaigns video also makes the reality clear:
Vote for education on 8 June !
STOP PRESS: Help Get the message out in your streets:
There has been so much support for the School Cuts campaign that the NUT has ordered extra copies of a newly designed leaflet to be delivered by volunteers in their local area. To order leaflets and/or to volunteer to organise leafleting, use this link:
Sign up now to take part in our final push to stop school cuts
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