UNISON, the UK’s largest union, is calling on the government to take bold action to give young people hope for the future.
Speaking at an NUS demonstration in London tomorrow (21 November), UNISON’s Roger McKenzie will highlight the damaging impact of tuition fee hikes, the scrapping of the Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA), and the high number of young people not in employment, education or training (NEET).
The union is urging communities including students, parents and people who work in education, to unite and campaign against the Tory’s damaging education cuts.
Roger McKenzie, UNISON Assistant General Secretary, will say:
“Tory education policies are turning the clock back to the time when education was the preserve of the rich. Young people, especially those from poor families, are already being put off going to university by the huge cost. The loss of the EMA has forced many others to drop out of school altogether. “The number of NEETs is high as young people, faced with a tough jobs market or an education they cannot afford, are left without options. The effects will be as expensive for our society as they will be long-lasting. But the real tragedy is for those young people robbed of a future.
“We need a united approach, with students and those providing services campaigning together to save our education system. And we need the government to go back to the drawing board and come up with policies that will help to give young people hope for the future.”
The union is also warning that government moves to privatise Higher Education, and to encourage for-profit universities will have a damaging impact on the student experience; profits will come before the people who depend on the UK’s education sector.
ENDS
