Government’s education recovery announcement ‘frustrating and lacking ambition’

Commenting on the announcement made on tutoring today (2 June 2021), Deborah Lawson, Assistant General Secretary of Community Union (Voice Community education and early years section), said:

“This is extremely frustrating. Everyone has been waiting for a major announcement of a detailed, comprehensive and ambitious education recovery plan.  Instead, we’re getting a piecemeal plan which will generate ongoing uncertainty and harmful speculation about the possibility of what will be in the next announcement, making it difficult for heads to plan ahead.

“The expansion of tutoring and the funding are welcome, as is the emphasis on the early years.

“However, we appear to have lost the opportunity for a once-in-a generation chance to overhaul education and early years.

“The plans are severely compromised, lack ambition and obviously the backing of the Treasury, which appears oblivious to the role of education and the early years to economic recovery.

“The sneaking out of this announcement during the school holidays and Commons recess looks like an attempt to avoid criticism in Parliament and to divert attention from speculation about the ending of lockdown.”

Voice Community is due to publish its own report on the future of education, based on a survey of members’ views, next week.

Further comments

Commenting later on the subsequent resignation of Education Recovery Commissioner Sir Kevan Collins, Deborah Lawson said:

“While we understand why Education Recovery Commissioner Sir Kevan Collins resigned when the Government decided to take a piecemeal approach to his recommendations, we – having worked with him to develop the plan he provided – remain disappointed that someone so widely respected within education and early years was forced into this position.”