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Think of the weans, for fucks sake.

Despite choosing the slightly more family friendly title of “Why must our children pay? Invest in their education” SSY members, particularly those still in high schools support the EIS teaching union’s campaign against cuts. Whilst many other unions have either decided to accommodate to cuts, or fight them solely through industrial action the EIS are opening another front and trying to win over public support. The logic of their argument is clear – cuts in education are due to a financial crisis not of teachers or students making, and will result in poorer education for a generation of young Scots.

These cuts are being made at the same time that almost a billion pounds, £900 million is being cut from university funding across the UK, with SSY members being involved in anti-cuts campaigns like ACAN at Glasgow University.

The EIS site outlines the cuts below,

Already cuts are taking place in local council education budgets.

* 2,500 fewer teachers in classrooms than 2 years ago
* Teacher support numbers reduced
* Books, paper and photocopying materials etc. reduced
* The decision to cut the number of students to train to become teachers.

In the future this will mean

* Teacher shortages
* Increased class sizes
* Impact on teaching and learning, including the new Curriculum for Excellence
* A cut in equipment (including computers) and materials in schools
* A reduction in specialist provision, e.g. classroom assistants, learning support and music instructors
* Fewer opportunities to access further and higher education

They are also being proposed is the same time that its been revealed that inequality has increased under the Labour government – David Cameron and his Eton pals might have a chance to escape public sector cuts for his kids, but ordinary working people will see less teachers and therefore less attention for their children. In both high schools and further education, there is an attack on funding which will attack jobs and young peoples right to a decent education.

The SSP supports a “20′s plenty” campaign, for a maximum of 20 children to each teacher in class. Following this programme would have kept enough teachers employed to stop any of Labour’s previous cuts of Glasgow’s schools. The SSP was recently involved with the Save Our Schools campaign, which fought hard against these cuts.

Support the campaign against cuts in education, turn up to the rally,

THIS SATURDAY – MARCH THE 6TH

ASSEMBLE KELVINGROVE WAY, KELVINGROVE PARK 10.30AM

MARCH AT 11, RALLY AT 12 AT THE SECC

4 Comments

  1. Jack says:
    March 4, 2010 at 11:50 am

    SNP government backtracking on their promises to reduce class sizes:

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/8548303.stm

    Reply
  2. laura says:
    March 4, 2010 at 8:55 pm

    i totally get your point and i agree that our education is seriously important
    BUT school roles have fallen in scotland, which partially accounts for the fall in teacher numbers and also there have actually been a surplus in teahers recently that are, lets face it, past their sell by date.
    also, in many many schools there is simply not enough room for twenty to a class
    we shouldnt confuse idealism with lack of realism
    thanks, laura

    Reply
  3. Jack says:
    March 5, 2010 at 1:06 am

    Hi Laura,

    I don’t think 20 to a class is idealism, I think it’s what’s been proven to be needed as a stepping stone towards a decent education for all. If school rolls are falling like you say, then why isn’t there the space to bring this about? Even if you are right, then maybe we should be building more schools? I went to a high school that covers a few medium sized towns and a large rural area, and that was really overcrowded. There’s been a need to build another school in the area for years.

    I think if there’s a suprlus of teachers it’s because the government is wasting too much money on things that are totally usesless (bank bonuses, WMD etc.) and not spending enough on employing teachers. Can a society really have too many people working in education? For me ’20s plenty’ is just the beginning of how I’d like to see education dramatically expanded beyond what it is now.

    It’s always going to be working class kids that suffer most from cuts and lack of staff, because people don’t want to work in schools in their areas. What this means is that whole generations are not given the chance to develop themselves fully and do everything they’re capable of in life. We want to change that.

    Reply
  4. Jack says:
    March 5, 2010 at 7:09 pm

    There’s an SSP public meeting straight after the demo, which is in the City Inn, just across from the SECC.

    speakers:
    a primary teacher
    a secondary teachers’ EIS rep
    a school student & a parent fighting school closures
    Richie Venton (Save Our Schools Campaign organiser)
    ALL WELCOME – exchange experiences in fighting cuts!

    Reply