Swansea Schools Face Crisis As Budget Cut Forces Axing Of Up To 100 Teachers

[The Masked Tulip]

Over on the Wales sub-forum there are posts today about recent conversations HPCers have had with increasingly nervous EAs. Last week it was Council job losses, now it looks like the schools.

SWANSEA is facing another education crisis with the news that budget cuts could mean 100 teachers lose their jobs.

Swansea Council is trying to fill a £15 million blackhole in its finances, meaning the education budget is set to be slashed when it is revealed later this month — with an estimated £5.6 million being taken out.

From that, more than £4.5 million will be taken from the cash given to schools, meaning teaching cuts are almost inevitable.

The news comes as schools in the city are still being forced to work in buildings needing more than £100 million to be brought up to scratch.

In September 2007, the Post revealed the crumbling state of Swansea's schools, which needed an investment of £147 million.

Now it seems there will be fewer teachers in the city. The schools in the city estimate a 0.9 per cent cut in funding, as well as a decision not to fund teachers a 2.4 per cent pay award, agreed at a national level, will mean up to £5.6 million going out of the education budget, with schools given £4.5 million less to spend.

However, this national pay award is a legal requirement, leaving head teachers and governors with the responsibility to find the cash from within their shrinking budgets.

While the council expects up to 50 redundancies this year, they have been told by leading teachers that the figure will be closer to 100.

http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/southwalesnews/Swansea-schools-face-crisis-budget-cut-forces-axing-100-teachers/article-1799444-detail/article.html

[interestrateripoff]

Money and time is running out for Gordon, the election can't come fast enough.

Has anyone from the govt spoken yet to say this is scaremongering and there are no budget shortfalls yet?

[The Masked Tulip]

Things are starting to really unravel in wales it seems in terms of govt lay offs.far quicker than the rest of the country.or is it jsut me.

Not heard of anyone suggesting getting rid of teachers elsewhere.heaven forbid etc love the way the article says schools need £147mn 'investment' to bring them up to scratch.Who says so?

What many people do not realise is that the Welsh Assembly hae already spent a big chunk of next year's buddget this year!

[TheCountOfNowhere]

Mayeb they shoul get rid of ALL teaching assistants first and transloators for foreign kids

Never heard of anything so ludicrous.

Teaching assistants indeed, pointless lackies more like.

[mrfooty]

Is there really any need for a school in Swansea? Seems like such a waste of resources.

[kilroy]

Things are starting to really unravel in wales it seems in terms of govt lay offs.far quicker than the rest of the country.or is it jsut me.

Not heard of anyone suggesting getting rid of teachers elsewhere.heaven forbid etc love the way the article says schools need £147mn 'investment' to bring them up to scratch.Who says so?

AssCosAwlAhSignsArInWelshAswell,See-ee?