Shrewsbury College teachers and students in protest over cuts
Saturday 9th April 2011, 11:41AM BST.
Teachers and students at Shropshire’s biggest A-level centre held a noisy protest through Shrewsbury town centre over funding cuts and proposed job losses for up to 29 members of staff.
The protest began at Shrewsbury Sixth Form College (SSFC) yesterday lunchtime and snaked along Barker Street and up to the town’s historic Square before heading back.
The group cried chants of “No If’s, No Buts, No to Education Cuts” as well as “Cutback – Fightback” as they brought their protest to the attention of shoppers in the town. Alan Roberts, teacher of philosophy and religious studies at the college, said many teachers were worried about their jobs and the impact the cuts will have on education.
Mr Roberts, who is also the SSFC representative for the National Union of Teachers, said: “There is a lot of anxiety, some staff are feeling undervalued and morale is being seriously affected.
“We want to do a good job, we do a good job and we want to continue doing that.
“We have come into the town and are trying to raise real concerns about the impact of government cuts on the college.
“We care about the students and we care about their education.”
Teachers at the college handed out leaflets to members of the public stating that the Coalition government’s cuts in funding would amount to a loss of £750,000 over a three-year period at Shrewsbury Sixth Form College.
Members are also set to be balloted at some point on taking industrial action.
Principal Martin Ward, in a statement on behalf of the college leadership, said this week that the college understood the way staff felt and was working with them to find a way forward. He said representations had been made both to local MPs and the Education Minister Lord Hill.
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