Page 15

Campaign to defend education

Together into 2013

This will be a testing year for teachers and education. NUT General Secretary Christine Blower outlines some of the Union’s campaign priorities for 2013.

This year will present teachers and the NUT with old and new challenges. Education is changing dramatically. There is almost daily criticism from the Government, increased workload, attacks on teachers’ pay and pensions and endless new initiatives, introduced with little or no consultation. All of this makes our jobs even harder and can take the joy and reward out of teaching.

It is no exaggeration to say Michael Gove is waging war on the teaching profession and public education. We will fi ght his plans to abolish national pay scales and increase the use of performance-related pay.

Almost half of all secondary schools in England have already become academies, with plans for many more, both secondary and primary. We continue to oppose the academies and free schools programme for its drive to privatisation and fragmentation but are completely committed to supporting the thousands of members who work in these schools.

The threats faced by our education service mean it’s more important than ever that we have an NUT rep and an active union group in every workplace (see pages 26 and 27). This is especially vital in academies, where there may be particular threats to pay and conditions.

If there is no rep in your school or college, make it your task to elect one in 2013. Once a rep has been elected they can let us know at www.teachers.org.uk/getinvolved

The Education Secretary continues to drive forward his very personal vision for education. We believe Michael Gove’s plans for an English baccalaureate certifi cates (EBCs) will devalue some subjects, create huge inequalities – especially for students with special needs or who speak English as an additional language – and have a negative impact on pupils, their futures and achievements. Our petition – launched jointly with the NAHT, Musicians’ Union and Equity – calling for a proper consultation with a broader remit, attracted a fantastic 15,000 signatures in its fi rst week. If you haven’t yet signed, please do so today at www.ebaccpetition.org.uk

On 11 December the GCSE English regrading legal challenge went to the High Court. As we went to press the outcome was unknown, but we will carry on challenging Ofqual, Edexcel, AQA and the Education Secretary to demand that pupils who took the exam last year are treated fairly.

Our campaign on teachers’ pay and conditions will continue. Our feature on pages 12 and 13 gives a sense of how this campaign is gathering strength. We are gaining real wins across England and Wales while putting pupils’ needs first.

I will always believe that teaching is a rewarding and life-enhancing career. I will also always believe that being part of your union family can only improve that career, so get involved now. If we all work together we can protect children’s education and the profession we love.