College cuts already biting, new survey reveals
8 April 2011
UCU and UNISON today warned that further education is facing a funding crisis after a new survey of 146 colleges revealed that nearly all (93%) have already axed jobs and that four-fifths (80%) have already slashed courses.
The unions said the cuts were having a disproportionate effect on front-line workers, with 87% of the total redundancies so far being support (45%) and teaching staff (42%), compared to just 13% from managerial and senior staff.
Further education has already seen an overall budget cut of over £1billion and the survey revealed that more than half of colleges (53%) say they plan to make further redundancies and course closures over the coming months.
The poll of colleges also reveals that a quarter of institutions (23%) had to turn students away and the unions warned that many students risk being cut out of education completely if the sector was to absorb further funding cuts..
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'In the week that Nick Clegg spoke about the importance of social mobility, this survey highlights the true cost of the government's cuts to education. Rather than helping to fund the very courses that people need to realise their potential, the government is slashing college budgets, putting teachers on the dole queue and removing vital lifelines such as the education maintenance allowance.
'Education is the closest thing we have to a silver bullet when it comes to helping people climb the social ladder, yet since this government took power it has made it much harder for people to have a second chance. It is essential that colleges join with us in opposing these cuts and are not panicked in to make short-term changes that will do lasting damage to their local communities.'
Further education has already seen an overall budget cut of over £1billion and the survey revealed that more than half of colleges (53%) say they plan to make further redundancies and course closures over the coming months.
The poll of colleges also reveals that a quarter of institutions (23%) had to turn students away and the unions warned that many students risk being cut out of education completely if the sector was to absorb further funding cuts..
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'In the week that Nick Clegg spoke about the importance of social mobility, this survey highlights the true cost of the government's cuts to education. Rather than helping to fund the very courses that people need to realise their potential, the government is slashing college budgets, putting teachers on the dole queue and removing vital lifelines such as the education maintenance allowance.
'Education is the closest thing we have to a silver bullet when it comes to helping people climb the social ladder, yet since this government took power it has made it much harder for people to have a second chance. It is essential that colleges join with us in opposing these cuts and are not panicked in to make short-term changes that will do lasting damage to their local communities.'
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