School Teachers’ Union Urges Government To Listen What Teachers Have To Say

After the release of the recent survey report by the UK polling organization, the Populus, EI affiliate Union of Teachers have urged that Government should listen to teachers and not just attack them.

London – 21.08.2013 – Consequent upon release of a recent survey report in UK by the polling organization, the Populus, two of the affiliates of Education International have urged the UK Government to listen to what teachers have to say instead of just attacking them.

National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers or NASUWT in short as well as the National Union of Teachers or NUT have both joined hands in criticizing the policy of the government as well as the survey report that has been released on the 24th July, 2013.

Christine Blower, the NUT General Secretary and President of European Trade Union Committee for Education made the following comments on the survey report released. “What the poll in fact shows is that those supporting and those not supporting strike action are very nearly equals. Parents and the general public are very aware of the pressures that teachers are under and are also very aware that it is only when the profession feels they truly have no alternative to protect teachers and defend education that they will take this course of action.”

According to her, the Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove has been overlooking or even ignoring the profession apparently due to a loss of confidence on his part. However, it is high time that he starts listening all over again since it is related with the sensitive issue of education of children in the country.

In course of her criticism Blower also referred to the fact that teachers are left with fewer options on the wake of continuous attacks on their salaries and this has induced them to resort to industrial actions for compensating the loss suffered.

“While the pay, pension and even working conditions are under continuous attack, the refusal of Government to enter into meaningful negotiations have added to the already overflowed cup of worries of teachers”, she said.

Major reason for complaints from the teachers’ quarters is that while the Government has been consistently taking measures like cutting salaries, no such action is taken to reward the teachers for their good work. Selecting a few teachers at the expense of majority to get better salaries is bound to tell upon the quality of education in the country and may have far reaching impacts on the emerging generations of students.

It would lead to a downfall of the standards in education and lowering of the morals of teachers; according to many teachers who are supporting Blower’s contentions. While provisions have already made by the Government for cutting salary progression of those teachers that are under performing, no comparative boon has been allowed to those performing over the par.

Reactions of NASUWT were almost on similar lines. “It is deeply disappointing that the Secretary of State for Education is once again engaged in criticizing and vilifying teachers,” said NASUWT General Secretary Chris Keates. He was expressing his reaction to a speech by Gove at Populus hosted event.

In any case; teachers and Government coming face to face over the financial issues may not augur well for the education of the nation at large. A quick resolution would therefore be most welcome.