UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Kemi Badenoch, criticized Labour’s education policies, calling them a “tragic” move for students and teachers, while Prime Minister Keir Starmer defended the bill.
During the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer‘s answer questions session, the Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, has raised concerns over the Government’s education reforms, describing them as a “tragedy in the making” for parents, teachers, and students.
She warned that changes in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill could affect teacher hiring and pay.
While speaking at the questions session, Ms Badenoch condemned the Bill, labelling it as “pure educational vandalism” and the “worst of socialism”.
What did Kemi Badenoch say about Labour’s education policies?
The opposition leader, Ms. Badenoch argued that if Labour rolled back Tory policies, it would deprive children who “pay the price,” positioning herself as their supporter.
She added, “Poor children in England now do better than wealthier children in Wales. This Bill denies children the guarantee that their failing school will be turned into a better academy.”
While referring to education as the main priority of their party she said, in 1996, Tony Blair told his party conference, “Ask me my three main priorities for government, and I’ll tell you: education, education and education.”
How did Sir Keir Starmer defend the government’s education bill?
In response, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer argued that the Bill will benefit families by providing free breakfast clubs in every primary school, more affordable uniforms, and enhanced child protection initiatives.
Sir Starmer accused the Tory leader of having “got a nerve” to complain about the effect of the reforms on special educational needs, assuring that the government would address the issues created by the previous government.
He stressed that his government’s policies are essential to protect children, stating, “We had a young child killed who was taken out of a school by an abuser… We have children who have not gone back to school since Covid.”
What did Badenoch say about the impact of the bill on teachers?
During Prime Minister’s Questions, Mrs. Badenoch raised concerns that the proposed Bill might prevent professionals from other industries from becoming teachers.
Speaking in the Commons, she questioned the government’s Bill, which suggests doctors are not qualified to teach biology and Olympic medallists cannot teach PE, questioning why the Prime Minister is restricting access to teaching roles.
The Tory leader criticized Keir Starmer for being out of touch with educational institutions. She mentioned her visit to Harris Academy, where staff expressed concerns about the proposed bill, which could reverse 20 years of educational progress.
She added, “It is the same old Labour: bad outcomes for all children, excellence for none.”
What was Sir Keir Starmer’s argument on teacher qualifications?
The prime minister said having qualified teachers in schools should not be controversial, highlighting that many secondary schools faced a shortage of teachers, particularly in maths, under the Conservatives’ government.
In reply to a question asked by Ms Badenoch who will benefit from this bill, Sir Keir said, “The Bill benefits the children who need the nourishment of a breakfast club. The Bill benefits the families that can’t afford uniforms.”
Sir Keir Starmer stressed that the Labour party is committed to providing high education standards, a promise recognized by both parents and teachers.
What does the bill say about teacher pay?
The proposed Bill will require all state schools, including academies and council-operated, to adopt a standardized pay and conditions policy.
Currently, academies, which are free from local authority control, have the ability to establish their own pay and conditions for staff, with some educational institutions offering higher salaries than the national pay rates for teachers.
However, under the new Bill, teachers in both local authority schools and academies will follow the same core pay and conditions policy.