Education unions call on funding body to rescue teacher training

A decline in research funding has left a number of research-intensive universities looking at ways to cut costs and teacher training looks like one of the areas to suffer the most. The unions have warned universities that knowing the cost of education, but not understanding its full value, could exacerbate the UK's teacher shortage at a time when education is more important than ever.
 
In 2006 HEFCE found £75m to protect vulnerable university science courses and the unions have said similar funds must be found now for teacher training. In the letter, co-signatories, UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, and NUT general secretary, Christine Blower, say that although recent changes to government departments have left schools and post-16 education in different departments, staff are still determined to work together to defend education from cradle to grave.
 
The letter warns that whilst over 30,000 students were admitted to teacher training this year, which allowed the government to meet its recruitment targets in most subjects, recruitment is fragile and cutting the number of places available for training would undermine it.
 
The letter comes just a week before the two unions will sign an historic accord (on Thursday 2 July) committing both to work together to protect the interests of education and those who work in the sector.
 
UCU general secretary Sally Hunt said: 'It would be absolutely criminal if universities were to absolve themselves of the responsibility of ensuring future generations have enough teachers. Understanding the cost of education is very different to knowing its value. Education has the power to change people's lives and none of us ever forget a good teacher.'
 
Christine Blower, general secretary of NUT, said: 'If the government is serious about narrowing the gap in society between those who are well off and those from poorer backgrounds they must ensure all schools are fully staffed with qualified teachers and support staff and class sizes are reduced. Our children deserve the best; we cannot go back to the years of acute teacher shortages in our classrooms'.