Education reforms "spinning out of control"

The government's education reforms are "spinning out of control", it has been claimed.

In a speech at the Association of Teachers and Lecturers' (ATL's) annual conference in Liverpool this week, union president Andy Brown said the coalition is attempting a "wholesale dismantling of the state education system".

He noted that although academies and free schools are funded by the state, everything they do is independent and this represents the "disappearance of state education".

"They are allowing each school to operate as an individual satellite, free to set its own teaching standards, curriculum and working conditions, but without any control," Mr Brown said.

Commenting on the government's austerity measures, he criticised ministers for branding teachers' pension schemes as unsustainable when they have yet to be properly valued.

He added that the government knows that by cutting public sector pensions it can wipe off a large chunk of Britain's deficit.

The ATL's annual conference took place at the BT Convention Centre in Liverpool this week.

Posted by Dolcie Thacker
 

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