The ongoing dispute between the government and thousands of striking teachers continues, with staff taking to the picket lines for their sixth strike day.
In Oldham outside Newman RC College, a teacher pointed to the ‘PAY UP’ sign on the A663 and shared the difficult reality of why teachers are continuing to strike. “The education system is in crisis. Schools are grossly underfunded to the extent we can’t afford pens, but the government somehow expects schools to fund the rise of wages through its own budgets,” Andrew Borg-Fenech said.
While the government has offered a one-off payment of £1,000 this year and an average pay rise of 4.5 per cent in 2023 and 2024, many in the profession have hit out at the proposal as the offer was ‘overwhelmingly’ rejected by unions.
The refusal to accept the offer largely centres on how the increase would be funded. Schools are expected to fund 4% of the rise from their own budgets, with the government providing the additional 0.5%. Teachers and unions argue the ‘inadequate offer’ will force further cuts they can’t afford to lose.
READ MORE: Join the FREE Manchester Evening News WhatsApp community
Laura Vallely, 30, has taught maths for nine years and says it is ‘heart-breaking’ the support isn’t there.
She said: “For me it’s the fact we put in so much work and so much time and the pay rise we have been offered isn’t fully funded. You look at Wales and Scotland who received the funding, does that mean our teaching is less of a value?
“Despite the government’s lack of funding, teachers are being asked to do more with less time to do work. Many teachers work right through the school breaks, evenings and bank holidays. Goodwill only goes so far and we need better conditions to support that.
“I can do another job for a lot more money, but I do it for the pupils, the community and it’s heart-breaking when you realise the support isn’t there.”
Ed Grimley, 35, has worked in education for six years, he says a pay increase funded by school budgets will only make conditions worse, and that staff cannot rely on ‘people’s goodwill’ to continue.
“Schools don’t have enough funds in general, and with the departments being told to pay a 4 per cent rise of everyone’s wages it means jobs will get cut - there is no other way. I will get paid more but somebody loses their job, and I’m not supporting that.
“You do think, is it us? But then I look at colleagues in nursing, and everyone who’s a public servant, we're all facing the same hardships, and you can’t just rely on people’s goodwill. We do this because we want to make a difference and help young people in the community, but there’s only so far you can push people before they start to look at alternatives,” the maths teacher said.
Andrew - a teacher in religious education - has protested in solidarity along the picket line for the strikes, he says the primary reasons schools are struggling to retain staff is underfunding, the workload, and ‘high expectations with little compromise or reward’.
“We are struggling to recruit and retain teachers and that’s having a detrimental impact on workload and learning for the pupils in front of us.
“Inflation has eaten into teachers' pay and has not kept up with the rate of pay everywhere else. I think the evidence suggests that teachers aren’t getting paid enough if they are leaving the profession. Why would they stay when there’s better-paying jobs elsewhere that have less stress and pressure?
“Yes, we have had the lure of a pay increase, but at whose expense? We scrounge around for resources such as glue and other stationery because we don’t have the budget for them, so how are we going to fund a pay rise?” the teacher of eight years said.
Ed said: “For me, the government has failed to recruit the amount of staff needed, the track record is poor, we’re not getting enough people in and it’s not sustainable. We’re not getting good quality teachers coming in and staying in the profession, and it’s having a detrimental effect.”
Peter Middleman, the National Education Union's north west regional secretary, has already warned that 'this dispute is not going away', with the NEU and other teaching unions now planning further strike action for the autumn term.
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has described the ongoing strikes as 'extremely disappointing'.
“After costing children almost a week of time in the classroom and with exams fast approaching, it is extremely disappointing that the NEU have called more strike action," she said.
The government says that an average pay rise of 4% is now judged to be affordable for schools and the 0.5% will be funded 'in addition to the record funding already planned for school budgets'.
A Department for Education spokesperson said: “Any strike action is hugely damaging. We have made a fair and reasonable pay offer to teachers recognising their hard work and commitment.
“Thanks to the further £2 billion pounds we are investing in our schools, next year, school funding will be at its highest level in history.”
READ NEXT:
Local elections 2023: The key battlegrounds as Greater Manchester prepares to go to the polls
Burger bar owner speaks of terror as gunman strolls in and opens fire
Staff suspended by school following alleged 'naked bicycle prank'
Police pull over ‘suspicious car’ in Trafford - and find more than they bargained for
