Labour Is Destroying Education But Boards Are Fighting Back

The decision by the North Eastern Education and Library Board to refuse to implement cuts of more than £6m has been described as striking a blow for the educational rights of children. East Londonderry UUP Westminister candidate David McClarty said that while Education Minister Barry Gardiner continued to “fiddle while Rome burned,” he would have to come to his senses on the issue of realistic funding for Northern Ireland. Mr. McClarty said: “There has been an almost cavalier attitude from the Minister and his Department to the well publicised growing crisis in education. However, rather than listen to what those at the coal face have been saying, the Minister has continued to play his fiddle while Rome burns and now the people are determined to stand up for the rights of their children to a decent standard of education. “The North Eastern Board’s finance committee has not taken the decision lightly to reject the notion of cutting £6.25m from school support, special education, crossing patrols and transport from next year's budget. It has weighed up all the options and wisely decided that it cannot brutalise the educational needs of children any more no matter what the Government’s bullying tactics are. “I hope the Minister accepts the Board’s offer to attend a special meeting to hear first hand objections to the cuts and that he listens to what is being said. He should listen and learn. “Our education system, which once was the envy of the world, is now enveloped in a crisis of mammoth proportions. “Pupils, parents and teachers are being failed by New Labour's education policies. They claimed their priority was "education, education, education" when they came into office but the reality has been shown to be "privatisation, cuts and testing. “Labour was much more interested in throwing millions of pounds into bottomless pits such as the Millennium Dome instead of sticking to its pledges to the people. “Those charged with the responsibility of delivering education to our children are not prepared to conform to the true Labour philosophy on education which if unchallenged would end up leaving us with a third rate system where not only children’s education would suffer but there safety outside and inside the classroom would be in jeopardy,” said the UUP MLA.

08 Apr 2005 by Editor 0 comments