Friday, August 05, 2005

Union jobs guaranteed

In a world of increasing turmoil, it's good to see some things never change. The rule of thumb that whatever a trade union suggests, do the opposite, remains true.

The NASUWT wants to extend a one year guaranteed job for all newly qualified teachers from Scotland to the whole of the UK. "It is a tragedy and a gross waste of public money when newly-qualified teachers leave teacher training and are unable to find a teaching post." Since when have unions ever been concerned about a waste of public money? Far more money would be wasted if all newly qualified teachers were paid for a year regardless of school vacancies. Who would control the number and quality of recruits onto teacher training courses if they are all guaranteed jobs at the end?

No job should ever be guaranteed, particularly when funded by the taxpayer.

In Scotland, not only is the job guaranteed, but teachers are given £6,000 compensation if it is not a convenient location for the teacher!

2 comments:

Tom Paine said...

The real waste of money is the turnover of expensively trained teachers who leave the profession after a few years because life is our state schools is so disgusting. The bad kids who were always there are ruling the roost because they know they cannot be expelled anymore. Teachers, who ought to be the most valued members of any civilised society IMHO, have to put up with regular foul abuse, periodic assaults and occasional battery. What intelligent, educated person would tolerate that for long?

Snafu said...

Tom, good point. I've recently been watching "Bad Lad's Army" on Channel 4. It's amazing what some 'real' discipline does to 30 young men with numerous convictions!

Whilst I wouldn't recommend army discipline in normal schools, it appears that for many of them, this is the first real discipline they have ever experienced.