Government under-funding threatens young people’s futures

Young people have been severely affected by the COVID lockdowns, with educational settings closing, exam chaos, ever-changing guidance and the grading fiasco.

So, it comes as little surprise that the Education Recovery Plan, which will be crucial to supporting the long-term futures of our children, is woefully inadequate.

Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor who went against civil service advice on value-for-money to promote Eat Out to Help Out the virus, is pushing back against the minimum £15 billion that is required to support the education recovery, only giving £1.4 billion currently. Meanwhile, Government Ministers are spending their time briefing against Trade Unions, who are run by and for their members, fighting for staff and students to get a fair deal.

Sir Kevan Collins, the Government’s Education Recovery Chief, resigned following the announcement of the woefully inadequate £1.4bn package, and himself warned that the funding given by the Treasury ‘does not come close’ to addressing the issues. Whilst countries such as the US are investing over £1600 per student, Collins revealed that the UK scheme will be worth just £22 for the average primary school student. Since when have our young people been worth so little?

The Cheshire East Labour Group stands with the staff, students and unions, and calls upon the Government to step up and properly address the issues that have been thrown up by the pandemic, because our young people deserve the very best, working with the Trade Unions, not against them.

Councillor James Barber, Cheshire East Champion for Young People said “The Education Recovery Plan that the Government has proposed is quite frankly insulting and constitutes yet another broken promise in their ‘levelling up’ agenda. Our Young People deserve the best, and money invested in their education will be recouped through future benefits to us all. The Government need to step up and work with Trade Unions to truly understand the needs of our Educational Staff and Students.

Councillor Brian Puddicombe for Macclesfield South ward said “Last year, Cheshire East Council called for priority to be given to vaccinating school staff and other key workers, but the Government ignored those pleas. Now we are seeing outbreaks in schools that could so easily have been avoided. The Government needs to prioritise education, education, education.