Defend state education

NUS NEC notes:

1) The government's announcement that it intends to break up the state schooling system by handing control of schools to private, religious and ‘voluntary' organisations in a free market.

2) That under this plan, all primary and secondary schools will be pushed to become “self-governing independent state schools. ”

NUS NEC believes:

1) That this is part of an elitist project of privatisation at every level of the education system, including the FE and HE sectors.

2) That New Labour is going further than even the Tories dared in destroying the state education system.

3) That as the major representative body of students in Further and Higher education, the NUS has a crucial role to play in fighting these attacks.

NUS NEC resolves:

1) To oppose in the government's proposals in the name of a single, properly funded, democratically controlled comprehensive education system without selection on the basis of ability, religion or financial means.

2) To work with all effected trade unions to campaign against these attacks.

3) To approach the recently established campaign against City Academies with a view to joint work.

4) To incorporate campaigning against these moves into our “On Course… ” Priority Campaign.

5) To look into ways of extending political representation to sixth-formers in secondary school in order to allow them to effectively defend themselves against these attacks.