MIXED MESSAGES FROM LABOUR

"I won't be here tomorrow, apparently, I'm not qualified!"

There seems to be mixed messages emanating from the Labour ranks regarding teachers and the teaching profession.

Tomorrow, the teaching unions have called a strike because they do not want the government to introduce performance related pay. In other words, they are opposed to the suggestion that successful teachers; those whose students consistently attain higher qualifications, get better remunerations. - A move that would attract better teachers and weed out the chaff.

However, in a statement that appears to argue against itself, Labours Shadow Education Secretary, Stephen Twigg said, “It is shocking that this government is allowing unqualified teachers into the classroom. High-quality teaching is the most important factor in improving education. We need to drive up the quality of teaching, not undermine it."

Now if one looks at private education, and the hundreds of academies and schools in the free-school sector, whose pass rates generally out-perform those of standard state education; much of their success is down to the high level of teaching, much of which is delivered by people who are not of qualified teacher status.

Now, if Mr Twigg really feels that allowing "unqualified teachers" to teach, really "damages standards" then why doesn't he propose banning the thousands of unqualified teachers from our highly respected independent schools?

"This is a Banana!"

So, we know what to expect! Should there be a change of government in 2015, a Labour Government would sack up to 5,000 unqualified teachers from academies and free schools. – Presumably amongst them the likes of Ed Miliband’s big brother David, who put his political experience to ‘good use’ teaching A-level Government and Politics at Haverstock School in Chalk Farm, north London, which he attended as a boy. 

Also, Labour's current education spokesman Tristram Hunt, who aptly demonstrated the depths of Labour’s hypocrisy by admitting that he regularly takes lessons himself in schools in Stoke, whilst at the same time campaigning against employing unqualified teachers!

If "High-quality teaching is the most important factor in improving education" - one wonders then why our 'so well qualified' teachers are letting their pupils down across the country!

For conformation just look at the front page of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) web site. You’ll find it’s all about support for strike action. Nothing there about improving educational standards for our kids or how to be a better teacher!

I tell you, it’s a great pity that the political system doesn’t practice a similar attitude when selecting their MPs. We need "qualified" politicians- qualified by experience of business or work rather than this current bunch of political careerists, who go direct from Uni’ to running the country without any experience of the ‘real world’