Category: Education

  • Kate Green – 2021 Comments about Schools Return

    Kate Green – 2021 Comments about Schools Return

    The comments made by Kate Green, the Shadow Secretary of State for Education, on 23 August 2021.

    The Conservatives chaotic, last-minute approach is damaging children’s education. Parents would rightly expect Ministers to have learnt from their mistakes over the last year, but once again families are being treated as an afterthought.

    After two years of disrupted education each day in school matters. The Conservatives’ systematic refusal to plan ahead is just not good enough. Labour is demanding better for our children’s futures.

  • Sajid Javid – 2021 Comments on CO2 Monitoring in Schools

    Sajid Javid – 2021 Comments on CO2 Monitoring in Schools

    The comments made by Sajid Javid, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on 23 August 2021.

    We are all enjoying the return to a more normal way of life and getting our children back into school is a really important part of that process. We want to ensure schools are both safe and comfortable for students and staff – and have been clear that good ventilation is crucial.

    As well as offering vaccines to 16 and 17 year olds and regular testing, we continue to work with the Department for Education to manage COVID-19 in schools and colleges. This includes the pilot we are running to test different air cleaning methods in school settings.

  • Gavin Williamson – 2021 Comments on CO2 Monitoring in Schools

    Gavin Williamson – 2021 Comments on CO2 Monitoring in Schools

    The comments made by Gavin Williamson, the Secretary of State for Education, on 21 August 2021.

    Providing all schools with CO2 monitors will help them make sure they have the right balance of measures in place, minimising any potential disruption to education and allowing them to focus on world class lessons and catch up for the children who need it.

    By keeping up simple measures such as ventilation and testing, young people can now enjoy more freedom at school and college.

  • Toby Perkins – 2021 Comments on BTEC Results

    Toby Perkins – 2021 Comments on BTEC Results

    The comments made by Toby Perkins, the Shadow Minister for Further Education, on 10 August 2021.

    Labour congratulates the 230,000 students who have achieved their Level 3 BTEC qualification today.

    They should be proud of their achievements through the most challenging of circumstances and against the backdrop of a Conservative Government looking to devalue their qualifications.

    Despite the high value placed on BTECs by employers and universities, the Government plans to scrap most of these qualifications putting young people’s life chances at risk.

    The Government’s alternative T-Level qualifications are currently unproven and a hasty charge to abolish Level 3 BTECs would be hugely irresponsible.

  • Michelle Donelan – 2021 Comments on Turing Scheme

    Michelle Donelan – 2021 Comments on Turing Scheme

    The comments made by Michelle Donelan, the Universities Minister, on 4 August 2021.

    Our schools, colleges and universities have worked tirelessly to make this programme a success, and I am grateful to them and their global partners who have truly embraced this opportunity for international collaboration.

    I look forward to seeing the innovation and expertise our students, pupils and vocational learners bring back to this country from their journeys to every corner of the globe – from Canada to Japan, and Australia to the United States.

  • Gavin Williamson – 2021 Comments on Turing Scheme

    Gavin Williamson – 2021 Comments on Turing Scheme

    The comments made by Gavin Williamson, the Secretary of State for Education, on 4 August 2021.

    The chance to work and learn in a country far from home is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity – which broadens minds, sharpens skills and improves outcomes.

    But until now it has been an opportunity disproportionately enjoyed by those from the most privileged backgrounds. The Turing Scheme has welcomed a breadth of successful applications from schools and colleges across the country, reflecting our determination that the benefits of Global Britain are shared by all.

    By strengthening our partnerships with the finest institutions across the globe, the Turing Scheme delivers on the Government’s post-Brexit vision, and helps a new generation grasp opportunities beyond Europe’s borders.

  • Matt Western – 2021 Comments on Turing Scheme

    Matt Western – 2021 Comments on Turing Scheme

    The comments made by Matt Western, the Shadow Universities Minister, on 4 August 2021.

    The Conservatives’ rhetoric on the Turing Scheme does not match the reality. Ministers are claiming to be targeting disadvantaged students, but their scheme provides no support to cover tuition fees which will make accessing this incredible opportunity impossible for many students.

    Boris Johnson has yet again created confusion for students and chaos for providers, by breaking his promise to keep the UK in the Erasmus+ programme. Subjecting the Turing Scheme to future spending decisions will create financial uncertainty for organisations and young people. It’s being reduced to the status of Erasmus minus.

    Ministers must ensure the Turing Scheme maintains the UK’s status as an attractive study destination for international students, protecting and promoting our global standing.

  • Rishi Sunak – 2021 Comments on Apprenticeships

    Rishi Sunak – 2021 Comments on Apprenticeships

    The comments made by Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on 3 August 2021.

    I’m thrilled that apprentices and employers in freelance industries such as film and TV can start to benefit from our new flexi-job apprenticeship scheme as part of our Plan for Jobs.

    Together, we’re creating exciting new opportunities for apprentices and employers – harnessing the skill and talent of today for the jobs of tomorrow.

  • Gillian Keegan – 2021 Comments on Apprenticeships

    Gillian Keegan – 2021 Comments on Apprenticeships

    The comments made by Gillian Keegan, the Minister for Apprenticeships and Skills, on 3 August 2021.

    We want to build an apprenticeship system that enables everyone to get the experience and knowledge they require to get the job they want, while ensuring employers have a diverse talent pipeline to meet their skills needs.

    Our flexi-job apprenticeships will unleash exciting new opportunities in sectors such as the creative industries and construction where employment is increasingly flexible and project-based, while also helping larger organisations to grow starts in their supply chains, levelling up chances for people to build the life they want.

  • Kate Green – 2021 Comments on Apprentices

    Kate Green – 2021 Comments on Apprentices

    The comments made by Kate Green, the Shadow Education Secretary, on 3 August 2021.

    Under the Tories the number of new apprenticeships is plummeting, with tens of thousands of people unable to access these opportunities.

    Support for greater flexibility does little to end the stark decline in apprenticeship starts, particularly for those young people who could benefit most.

    The Government must get a grip, stop tinkering at the edges and put forward a credible plan to put education and training at the heart of our economy recovery from the pandemic.