WITHIN DAYS of taking over a combined Education and Employment department, Gillian Shephard unvelled a reactionary voucher scheme for nurseries and new plans to push "non-academic 14-year olds Into (unpald) work experience.
Of course work experience schemes are aready operatIng across the country. But Shepard's latest plan has a lot more to do with segregatIng different abllities. within the supposedly comprehensive system than any serious atlempt to teach new or appropriate skills.
The Tory scheme would consolidate a two-tier education system replicating the old split between grammar and 'secondary modern' schools. Layers of students branded less 'able' or academic would be consianed to the tender mercies of local employers, while the more obvlously academically-inclined (mainly middle class) would continue with GCSE and A-Lavel courses.
Of course behlnd these changes is another hidden agenda. With school budgets facina another ynar of cutt next year, and class sizes increasing, siphoning off tens of thousands of unwanted pupils Into activity outside the classroom could make the figures look a lot more pre(NUT National Executive, personal capacity) WHILE goverment ministers sat down to horsetrade over how much to cut from public expediture in order for Chancellor Clarke to engineer the hoped-for election-winning tax cuts. FACE (Fight Against Cuts in Education) met in Coventry to plan the camparge to acmicyc pie cisely the opposite.
Campaigners are demanding al icast a bilion pounds extra for education, to reverse this year's brutal cuts., and no Central to the campaigo is another national march and rally, to be held in London on Saturday 30 September, plans ror wake are wen ubocrway Whilst the core support will come from local FACE groups which are springing up all over the country Reading. Bristol, Cambridge and Briehton are amone thr most recent launches FACE nationally is making strenuous efforts to secure the SUPOR or outor anus dons, in parculat tacc unions organising education workers.
Mobilising for the 25 #iaimons eonwas hindered by the opposition of NUT General Secretary Doug McAvoy who enlisted the ol olacr unions However, recognising the significance of FACE, the second largest leachers' unJon NASUWT has already indicated its support for the September demonstration and looks likely to distribute PACE matcrial branches.
Blunkett
At a recent conference organised by Sheffield City Council even David Blunkett admitted he wasn't opposed| to FACE, although he was ess nappy wilh ils demand for more money for education, rather than just an end to cuts.
Against this background, McAvoy will find it increasingry citrcurt to masnan ais opposition to FACE.
Whist the last meeting of the NUT Executive amended a resolution calins. for sup* por for the demonstraton to one noting it, the door was left There was a call fora meeting under the auspices of the NUT and a request for more information about the organisation of FACE and the degree of support from NUT branches that it enjoys.
FACE will continue to seck the support of the langest ocies union ars cyca offered McAvoy a slot on the 30 September platform.
With even more members working in education than any other union, UNISON is a potentially key supporter of FACE, and a number of Executive members have expressed sympathy.
It will be asked to aid a fringe meeting at TUC Cougress, where FACE can establish itself as a central clement in the campaign to defend public services. R einforcing its non-party political character. FACE has also agreed to organise fringe meetings at cach of the party onic cise In a further positive developments, student activists look set to launch a student If thousands of FE and HE students can be mobilised for 30 September this will both help to swell the demonstration and link up two main areas of education funding Thousands turned out in March: we need more on September 30! campaigns. that their plans for 30 Septem.
Likewise involvement of ber are fully in place: coaches the nursery education cam- booked; mobilising meetings paign, which was given a re- in carly September planned; cent boost by the crass and nosters printed! voucher scheme announced street stalls planned and so on. by Education and Employ- The demonstration mus! ment supremo Gillian Shep- be huge if it is to force the pard - apparently against goverment's hand. It is up to her own wishes — offers to all of us to make sure it is.
• Posters and leaflets are oring many more onto the streets of central London. available FACE:
It is essential that local FACE groups and anti-cuts FACE paper will be available campaigns use the lull of the at the end of August. Place Sco nolanys to ake Su yout ordet bow