A message for parents and carers
Why teachers at your child’s school are going on strike
Schools across London are in a desperate crisis.
Many find it impossible to recruit enough teachers.
• Many secondary children are taught by inappropriately trained teachers.
• Many primary classes have had three or more different teachers during the year.
• Many schools have to rely on a succession of day to day supply teachers.
This is not providing a good quality education for our children – it is only papering over the cracks.
If nothing is done about it, the situation is going to get worse. Many young teachers cannot afford decent accommodation, so they are being forced out of the capital. Older, more experienced teachers are also leaving in droves.
On 14 March, members of the National Union of Teachers are taking strike action against teacher shortages and to demand an increase in their London allowance. The allowance is meant to compensate teachers for the extra cost of living in the capital. However it is currently completely inadequate — it is only half of what the police get and is way below the allowances paid by banks and other private sector companies. The government is intending to increase it by just £1.62 a week.
The government says that education is a priority. It says that it values teachers. We believe that it should put its money where its mouth is, and pay teachers a decent wage.
What can you do to help stop the teacher shortage?
• Write to your MP, asking him/her to support the teachers’ claim
for a significant rise in the London allowance.
• Join us on the demonstration on the day of the strike
14 March 2002, 10.00 am, Lincoln’s Inn Fields
Back to Camden Back to Index