25 October 2002
Teaching unions are deeply divided over government plans to cut teachers' workloads by employing 50,000 new classroom assistants.
Education and Skills Secretary Estelle Morris announced proposals this week for 'higher-level' support staff to take over classes, and for classroom assistants to take on a range of non-teaching roles. Teachers' contracts will be amended so they no longer have to do 25 itemised administrative tasks.
The reforms also guarantee that 10% of teaching time will be reserved for planning, preparation and assessment, and promise teachers a more 'flexible' role. Morris described them as 'a radical restructuring of the profession'.
National Association of Head Teachers general secretary David Hart welcomed the proposals, saying they would 'revolutionise' schools. The National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers also welcomed the package, but cautioned that 'absolute clarity' was needed on the respective roles of qualified teachers and support staff.
But the National Union of Teachers said the deal was 'too little, too late'. It is angry that ministers have rejected a limit on teachers' 52-hour working week. And the NUT is opposed to unqualified support staff – 80% of whom earn under £8,000 a year – taking over teaching roles. General secretary Doug McAvoy compared it to 'asking the theatre sister to take over the brain surgery'.
An NUT spokesperson told Public Finance: 'The government is avoiding dealing with the real issue, which is teacher shortages. And it is threatening to withhold new investment if the unions do not agree to its all-or-nothing scheme.'
PFoct2002
