News OnTheWight always welcomes a Letter to the Editor to share with our readers – unsurprisingly they don’t always reflect the views of this publication. If you have something you’d like to share, get in touch and of course, your considered comments are welcome below.
This from Peter Shreeve, Assistant District Secretary, Isle of Wight – National Education Union. Ed
The Prime Minister needs to ‘walk the walk’ to solve the teacher crisis before ‘talking the talk’ of his ‘maths to 18’ plan.
Ensuring every young person has the skills they need to succeed is one shared by school staff everywhere, whether in maths, foreign languages, a teacher shortage to deliver this maths visionmusic or any other subject.
A teacher shortage to deliver this maths vision
After thirteen years in government there is still a teacher shortage to deliver this maths vision. Indeed, Government’s teacher recruitment policy is not bringing in enough new teachers in so many subjects.
There is a crisis of teacher retention as a result of low pay and excessive workload – something which Government has failed to address over many years. It is still failing to get a grip on this workforce crisis.
Can’t be achieved without real terms fully funded pay increase
The Prime Minister says, “We’ll need to recruit and train more maths teachers”. In reality, how can this be achieved without a real terms fully funded pay increase?
Let’s not forget, this is a government that has cut its recruitment target for maths teachers by 39% since 2020. Government is its own worst enemy.
Smithers: “Half baked idea“
Earlier yesterday, Professor Alan Smithers, director of the Centre for Education and Employment Research at the University of Buckingham called the Prime Minister’s vision for driving up numeracy levels “half-baked”.
He added, “What we do at GCSE is disastrous – a third of students fail their maths GCSE. ….. why don’t we come up with a realistic plan on targeting those that need help the most?”
Parents and school staff left scratching their heads
Agreed. It will be no surprise that parents and school staff will be left scratching their heads at this latest maths announcement from the Prime Minister. Taken as a whole, the Government’s policies on education simply don’t add up.
Whilst “maths to 18” has merit, it feels more like a distraction, when the present staffing crisis remains unaddressed.
Image: communitiesuk under CC BY 2.0
