The education ministry received a 10th of the money that was wanted to fund a COVID school stimulus package – as critics called the package “woefully inadequate.”
Sky News includes the proposal submitted to the Treasury to help schools recover from learning lost during the coronavirus pandemic was worth around £ 13 billion.
However, only a £ 1.4 billion package was unveiled by the government on Wednesday, with plans denounced as a “wet firecracker” by the unions.
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The government has said the £ 1.4 billion plan includes £ 1 billion to support up to six million 15-hour tutoring classes for underprivileged schoolchildren, as well as an expansion of the tuition fund for 16-19 year olds, targeting key subjects such as mathematics and English.
And £ 400million has been set aside to help give early childhood practitioners and 500,000 teachers across the country training and support, while schools and colleges will be funded to give some students in the Grade 13 the opportunity to repeat their final year.
Sir Kevan Collins, who was named the government’s COVID catch-up czar in April, has previously reportedly requested £ 15bn in funding for a stimulus package.
Amid criticism, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson told Sky News the £ 1.4bn announced on Wednesday was “part of a process” and builds on the £ 1.7bn sterling already given to schools to deal with the COVID crisis.
A source from the Treasury said: “This is a multibillion pound increase for tutoring and education.
“Together we will determine what exactly is needed in terms of extra time for catching up with children – as well as what teachers and parents think is best and will work, too.
“It is good for children and the taxpayer that we know what we are buying before we spend.”
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Source: news.sky.com
This notice was published: 2021-06-02 09:15:00
