EDUCATION Secretary Kenneth Clarke, author of repeated attacks decided that teachers need far less training, Already groning under the burden of having to implement the National Curriculum, teachers are now going to have to redirect yet more time away from education into training the next generaton or teachers.
Clarke's atest move suggests that Snees souk soek onle 20% of their training in cofege, spend. ing the rest of the time 'in the classroom'. Clarke's plan amounts to an atMany idea that there is a methodology behind teaching, replac , this with simply bashing in the Three Rs' by rote The response from the biggest teachers' the NUT, has not deploring deprofessionalisation. But involved in teacher training. mainty organised by the higher education unions, NATHE and the AUT. have been very critical of the move. An attack on teacher training is clearly the Moanwhile NUT activists have been organising around budget cuts and performance-related pay in the run up to the union's Easter conference. echel nave ken cloo budget cuts in a whole number of remained isolated.
Now NUT activists have organisod a conference in February generalise the acton. But thay face a tough light in the face of underhand manoeuvres from the union leadership.
As usual Doug McAvoy. General Secretary. I has been only too Debe o eoo oomss hom Labour Education spokesperson Jack Straw not to rock the boat as the elections looms. But the union leadership manoeuvres to get its way, having lost much of its support to the left over the last five years.
They have tried to marginalise calls for industrial action af the coming union conference by making it a separate agenda item, out off from all policy debates. Ihe kem is ikey to co d closed session, hidden away from the public ave. Such moves THieuT preparation by activists to take on McAvoy and his cronies is at a premium.
Teachers'
Conference For nationwide action against budget cuts called by Oxfordshire NUT February 8, Oxford Town Hall