Andrew Shipley, ATL Isle of Man Branch Secretary says the news about cuts across the education service are a real blow to all involved in education and fly in the face of the high regard we supposedly put on it in the Isle of Man. “The Department of Education and Children is in an impossible position. Statutory provision must be maintained and for cuts to be made the axe has to fall on non-statutory areas which include the library services, pre-school provision and the Primary Modern Languages. It is now up to politicians to show some leadership and resolve, to say no and reverse these decisions”. The ATL recognises that cuts have to be made but there are other areas, which have less of a social impact. “Staff are devastated by the decisions that have been made and the ATL echoes the IOMTUC call that “if government has any social conscience at all, it will stop proposing cuts in inappropriate areas of public spending””.
“Instead of cutting the pre-school services, these should be extended to enable the economically active population to get on with the jobs that bring income to the island”. “These cuts will disproportionately hit women, the vulnerable and the less well off”. “Aspects of education, such as playing an instrument will become the preserve of those who can pay”.
The ATL is concerned, not only for the immediate future but also in the long term. “While politicians may see the difficulties we face now, the longer term implications of their decisions need to be considered. What will the effect be when these children, affected by the closure of nurseries, get to secondary school? How will reducing the staffing at “Health Education” affect the physical and sexual health of our young people, and what cost will there then be to health and social care budgets? Can we truly say that we aspire to be a global player when we cut back on provision for modern foreign languages? What does the decision about the libraries say about us as a civilised country and the high regard we should have for the written word? “Possibly another body can show some leadership and take on responsibility for the library service instead of it being a government funded service?”
The English coalition government recognises the importance of nursery education and in spite of massive budget problems has found the money to extend provision to 15 hours per week, while we are reducing our publically funded provision. The ATL calls on the Government to find the money, delay the changes, look at the issues carefully and thoroughly and make appropriate provisions so that if changes have to come in they can be properly managed without the uncertainty and angst that is faced at present.
-ENDS-
