19th April 2010 9:00
By Blue Tutors
The Government have been forced to temper their commitment to one-to-one tuition in an attempt to push through education before parliament dissolves in preparation for the general election. There are many other policies which have been ‘shelved’ for now, including the controversial reforms on compulsory sex education for 15 year olds.
The Tories are opposed to many of these policies on education, claiming that they would create more ‘red-tape’, swamping teachers with administration. However, Ed Balls, the Schools Secretary, was extremely disappointed, particularly that the tuition policy was not going through. In a letter to the shadow schools secretary, he said: “Such tailored support should no longer be the preserve of the wealthy and privileged few but a core component of the curriculum. I am deeply disappointed that you do not agree.”
The announcement came shortly after Gordon Brown had pledged Labour’s continued support for increased personal tuition for students struggling with Maths and English. Although the compulsory sex education classes will grab the headlines, a commitment to increasing the number of tutors available to schools must be the priority for whichever party is in government this summer.