Anger after the CALL Lobby to Parliament 25th Feb 2009
Clare London | 03.03.2009 14:48 | Education | Social Struggles | Workers' Movements
We need to fight the huge cuts in Adult Education currently being made by the government. Those who have a degree cannot now take a subsidised course at that level or lower. John Denham (government minister) says Spanish for Holidays is a waste of time. Money which goes to war should be used for making all education free.
Opinion
After standing in the cold to Lobby Parliament for CALL
(Campaigning Alliance for Lifelong Learning)
Yes, we know there is an economic crisis but the cuts in funding for Adult Education were planned a long time ago. They are part of New Labour’s “strategic plan” to gear education to putting people in jobs. The government claims that it is a waste to fund a student for a course equal to or below the present qualification level of the student. (ELQ=equal or lower qualification); that the money ‘saved’ should go to those who do not have a qualification so they can easier attend Further or Higher education, or find a job.
However, that strategy is splitting hairs. Evening classes (or Adult Education) are not just about getting a job. They fulfil myriad other functions: keep people off the streets; give an incentive to live; share knowledge; share activities; inform; promote and channel creativity; provide social contacts; promote mental health; create enjoyment. What is life for if not to create and enjoy?
Perhaps life is for killing and destruction. Certainly, a small reduction in arms or wars could easily fund all the education we want. Or what about all the unpaid taxes of the super rich? They could also easily fund as much education as we like. But it is easier to hit the poor: the refugee or long-time unemployed or even the young artist who wants to broaden her skills as well as the millions of old people who are left to die alone. The Government thinks that we’ll all take it lying down; that we’ll buy into their capitalist values; that we’ll learn to like paying for everything which we could have for free. In my view, things are ‘free’ if paid for collectively and means tested.
Capitalism. It doesn’t work. Ordinary people can see that. Only those blinded by wealth, or by spin doctors, think that exploiting someone else’s labour for profit is a good thing. Many of the buildings used for Adult Education were constructed by Victorian benefactors and we take them for granted. But the fortunes of the Cadburys or the Levers came from other people’s labour, often in the colonies. There is no such thing as a capitalist ‘benefactor’ just as there’s no such thing as a vegetarian wolf.
Why am I so angry? Because I’ve been hit by a series of events which turn out to be no coincidence. A month ago, the Vice Chancellor announced that City University was forming a “Joint Venture” with a construction company called INTO* who would bring hundreds of overseas students (extremely high fees) into (*ha ha) Foundation Courses and then into university courses. The recognised union (UCU, University and College Union) was not consulted and was only told about the manoeuvre three days before Senate voted. INTO staff face working with inferior pay and conditions than their university counterparts.
Two weeks later, City University announces the closure of all adult education classes except Business, Computing and Arts Administration. Note that there was again no consultation with the union or ordinary staff prior to the redundancy notices sent round. Imagine the shock to teachers like myself who have been working at City for twenty years.
Another problem is the level of Visiting Lecturer pay. City pays one of the lowest wages in London and staff have been negotiating for 15 years to bring them in line. Everything went at snail’s pace until this year. Now we see why: management want neat little packages ready for redundancy. But the deal is still not completed. This academic year, Visiting lecturer facilities have been taken away: no staff room, no computers, no printer. The worst cut of all is: no respect. We are treated like cyphers; our knowledge and expertise is not required when educational decisions are made. What’s so magic about Business or Computing? What’s wrong with Japanese or Creative Writing?
We come back to the monetarist view of education: keep the courses which obviously make money and close the rest. Forget inspiration, satisfaction, delight. Just pretend that money is the root of all learning.
Clare London
After standing in the cold to Lobby Parliament for CALL
(Campaigning Alliance for Lifelong Learning)
Yes, we know there is an economic crisis but the cuts in funding for Adult Education were planned a long time ago. They are part of New Labour’s “strategic plan” to gear education to putting people in jobs. The government claims that it is a waste to fund a student for a course equal to or below the present qualification level of the student. (ELQ=equal or lower qualification); that the money ‘saved’ should go to those who do not have a qualification so they can easier attend Further or Higher education, or find a job.
However, that strategy is splitting hairs. Evening classes (or Adult Education) are not just about getting a job. They fulfil myriad other functions: keep people off the streets; give an incentive to live; share knowledge; share activities; inform; promote and channel creativity; provide social contacts; promote mental health; create enjoyment. What is life for if not to create and enjoy?
Perhaps life is for killing and destruction. Certainly, a small reduction in arms or wars could easily fund all the education we want. Or what about all the unpaid taxes of the super rich? They could also easily fund as much education as we like. But it is easier to hit the poor: the refugee or long-time unemployed or even the young artist who wants to broaden her skills as well as the millions of old people who are left to die alone. The Government thinks that we’ll all take it lying down; that we’ll buy into their capitalist values; that we’ll learn to like paying for everything which we could have for free. In my view, things are ‘free’ if paid for collectively and means tested.
Capitalism. It doesn’t work. Ordinary people can see that. Only those blinded by wealth, or by spin doctors, think that exploiting someone else’s labour for profit is a good thing. Many of the buildings used for Adult Education were constructed by Victorian benefactors and we take them for granted. But the fortunes of the Cadburys or the Levers came from other people’s labour, often in the colonies. There is no such thing as a capitalist ‘benefactor’ just as there’s no such thing as a vegetarian wolf.
Why am I so angry? Because I’ve been hit by a series of events which turn out to be no coincidence. A month ago, the Vice Chancellor announced that City University was forming a “Joint Venture” with a construction company called INTO* who would bring hundreds of overseas students (extremely high fees) into (*ha ha) Foundation Courses and then into university courses. The recognised union (UCU, University and College Union) was not consulted and was only told about the manoeuvre three days before Senate voted. INTO staff face working with inferior pay and conditions than their university counterparts.
Two weeks later, City University announces the closure of all adult education classes except Business, Computing and Arts Administration. Note that there was again no consultation with the union or ordinary staff prior to the redundancy notices sent round. Imagine the shock to teachers like myself who have been working at City for twenty years.
Another problem is the level of Visiting Lecturer pay. City pays one of the lowest wages in London and staff have been negotiating for 15 years to bring them in line. Everything went at snail’s pace until this year. Now we see why: management want neat little packages ready for redundancy. But the deal is still not completed. This academic year, Visiting lecturer facilities have been taken away: no staff room, no computers, no printer. The worst cut of all is: no respect. We are treated like cyphers; our knowledge and expertise is not required when educational decisions are made. What’s so magic about Business or Computing? What’s wrong with Japanese or Creative Writing?
We come back to the monetarist view of education: keep the courses which obviously make money and close the rest. Forget inspiration, satisfaction, delight. Just pretend that money is the root of all learning.
Clare London
Clare London