GMB blasts Government claims a quarter of schools 'waste cash'
DfE assertion support staff can be cut ‘insulting', says union.
GMB, the union for school support staff, has criticised Department for Education data which claims a quarter of schools waste cash.
The calculations, unearthed by a TES investigation, were put together to help to Government to rationalise a £3 billion cut to school funding.
Included in the paper are plans to slash £400 million from the school support staff bill.
Karen Leonard, GMB National Officer, said:
“The suggestion appears to be that it is somehow the fault of each school and they have been extravagantly wasting money.
“Our dedicated school support staff are educations’ forgotten army, and are both undervalued and underpaid with many now facing redundancy.
“To suggest they are an extravagant waste of money is insulting in the extreme.
“Our members are dedicated professionals supporting children and deserve better than that.
“GMB calls on the next Government to reverse the cuts and properly fund our schools.
“Anything else will be letting a generation of children down.”
