Hands off our education!

The budget of 2009 brought a tremendous blow for key public services over the next few years, including education and the NHS.

Universities in particular will be hit as the government’s plans mean that many courses will have reduced funding and staff will be made redundant. The Treasury figures show that spending on schools will increase by a mere 0.8% next year but DIUS (Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills) will have it's funding slashed by 2.4%!

Students and teachers up and down the country have called for protests and strikes in retaliation to the proposed cuts, feeling that it is unjust and contradictory in regards to the current economic climate. UCL has announced that it wants to cut it's 2009-2010 budget by £20million which is likely to lead to a loss of 200 to 400 jobs. Jon Richards, the UNISON Head of Higher Education pointed out; "Education is crucial to building a path out of the recession and is an investment in the future of our country".

The government however, feels that the cuts are justified because of the recesson, despite the obvious negative effects that they will bring. Teachers and Lecturers have rightly noted that the proposed cuts will mean a huge loss of support staff, and therefore the quality of teaching will be hindered, leaving the students with less to show after accumulating debts for a compromised education.

UNISON, Unite and UCU have organised protests and demonstrations to be held at college and university campuses and urge students and young people to get involved and protest against the cuts that will severely affect their education.