NUT News 2: A Price too high
15/01/2003

While other teachers' organisations sign up to the Government's modernsation
agenda, the NUT says it`s
A Price too high

In its Agreement, "TIME FOR STANDARDS", the Government demands that the
contractual changes set out can be delivered only if schools deploy support
staff as teachers. For the NUT the contractual changes do not go far enough
and the price is too high for the teaching profession.

The great give­away

Other teachers' organisations have agreed to the abandonment of the
principle that classes should be taught by qualified teachers only. The
employment of high level teachers' assistants (HLTAs) and of so called
"cover supervisors" at lower salary levels will relieve the pressure on the
Government to recruit more teachers and pay teachers properly.

Even before the agreement was signed, the Government told the Schools
Teachers' Review Body, "to keep general pay uplift to inflation levels" so
as to avoid schools being required to "direct inappropriately high level of
funding to teachers` pay". Teachers' pay is to be held down to fund the
Government's modernising agenda. The principle that classes should be taught
by qualified teachers has been given away.

A flawed agreement

The NUT has refused to sign an agreement which:

will set no targets for limiting teachers' working hours as negotiated by
teachers in Scotland, despite the specific recommendations of the Review
Body;

will impose an increased teaching timetable for some
teachers following the removal of 25 clerical and administrative tasks;

will impose an increased teaching timetable when other duties are taken
over by support staff;

will allow the withdrawal of allowances where responsibilities pass to
support staff;

will provide no protection against an extension of the
school day to accommodate the guaranteed 10 per cent planning, preparation
and assessment time for all teachers (PPA);

will require teachers wishing to take their PPA to choose between doubling
up classes or passing their classes to support staff;

will encourage the use of support staff to teach classes; and

will allow schools to employ more support staff and fewer teachers as a
cheaper option.

On 15 January the other teachers' organisations will commit themselves to
supporting the Government's, "agreed reform process, to disseminate and
promote reform and to, "promulgate this Agreement to their Members". Before
deciding to sign they variously described it as "being terribly
educationally unsound"; as "something which in its entirety isn't good for
the profession"; and as needing "massive reservations about the use of
unqualified teachers". They had grave doubts about its funding. Yet they
decided to sign it, disseminate it, promote it and promulgate it. The NUT
did not.

General Secretary, Doug McAvoy, said:

"The changes in the contract are inadequate and the price for them is too
high. Classes should be taught by qualified teachers assisted by properly
paid support staff. Qualified teachers should be employed to cover and to
teach classes while teachers take their guaranteed PPA. Guaranteed PPA must
be provided from timetabled teaching time. There should be, as in Scotland,
overall limits to working hours. The NUT will continue to campaign for these
provisions and protection."