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20/04/2005
Labour pledge ‘investment in children’s future’
Labour have pledged to continue “investment in the future of children” as the party unveiled a selection of education-based election promises.
Education Secretary Ruth Kelly said that a third Labour term in government would see half of the country’s primary schools and all of the country’s secondary schools being rebuilt or refurbished over the next ten years.
Mrs Kelly also said that Labour would give children the opportunity of “tailored tuition”, aimed at stretching strengths and overcoming weaknesses in education.
The tuition includes a planned programme of “concentrated catch-up help” to enable children lagging behind in areas such as reading in Key Stage One. Extra tuition would also be available for academically gifted pupils through the Gifted and Talented programme, which would help these children to achieve “their full potential”.
The Education Secretary also announced plans to introduce 3,500 more Sure Start centres as well as introduce a new service for parents, called Parents Direct. The new service would offer information and advice on a variety of subjects ranging from child care options and tax credits to tackling bullying and truancy, as well as helping parents to cope with teenagers and children with special educational needs.
Mrs Kelly said: “Labour believes in opportunity and security for all; the chance for everyone to succeed. Modern public service, tailor-made to meet people’s needs and expectations, shaped around how we live our lives today, are crucial to making that a reality.”
Labour has also criticised Conservative plans to introduce a voucher system, giving parents a voucher worth £5,500 which they can take from a state school to a private school in order to pay private school fees. Labour’s Minister of State at the Foreign Office, Douglas Alexander, said that this policy would cut £2 billion from state schools’ budgets and said the policy was “so extreme it was even rejected by Margaret Thatcher and Keith Joseph”.
Mr Alexander said: “The choice is becoming clearer: a serious government with serious policies, investing in all our children, or an opportunist and increasingly desperate Conservative Party whose flagship education policy take money from state schools for all children to pay for the private education of a privileged few.”
(KMcA/GB)
Education Secretary Ruth Kelly said that a third Labour term in government would see half of the country’s primary schools and all of the country’s secondary schools being rebuilt or refurbished over the next ten years.
Mrs Kelly also said that Labour would give children the opportunity of “tailored tuition”, aimed at stretching strengths and overcoming weaknesses in education.
The tuition includes a planned programme of “concentrated catch-up help” to enable children lagging behind in areas such as reading in Key Stage One. Extra tuition would also be available for academically gifted pupils through the Gifted and Talented programme, which would help these children to achieve “their full potential”.
The Education Secretary also announced plans to introduce 3,500 more Sure Start centres as well as introduce a new service for parents, called Parents Direct. The new service would offer information and advice on a variety of subjects ranging from child care options and tax credits to tackling bullying and truancy, as well as helping parents to cope with teenagers and children with special educational needs.
Mrs Kelly said: “Labour believes in opportunity and security for all; the chance for everyone to succeed. Modern public service, tailor-made to meet people’s needs and expectations, shaped around how we live our lives today, are crucial to making that a reality.”
Labour has also criticised Conservative plans to introduce a voucher system, giving parents a voucher worth £5,500 which they can take from a state school to a private school in order to pay private school fees. Labour’s Minister of State at the Foreign Office, Douglas Alexander, said that this policy would cut £2 billion from state schools’ budgets and said the policy was “so extreme it was even rejected by Margaret Thatcher and Keith Joseph”.
Mr Alexander said: “The choice is becoming clearer: a serious government with serious policies, investing in all our children, or an opportunist and increasingly desperate Conservative Party whose flagship education policy take money from state schools for all children to pay for the private education of a privileged few.”
(KMcA/GB)
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