Andrew Stunell on Education...

Andrew Stunell speaking at a local school

Education is another hugely important issue, and one that has long been at the top of my priorities - especially as my wife Gillian, after a career in teaching is now writing books on the topic!

Quality education opens up new opportunities and enables children to get the most from life. But a lot of young people are still being let down by a system which fails to equip them with the important skills they need.

Too many children are still leaving school without the knowledge and skills to be successful. Although we are fortunate to have many high quality schools and dedicated teachers in Stockport, elsewhere in the country finding a good school is a struggle, lessons don't stretch the brightest or support those who need more help, and classes are too big for teachers to control. Over half of 16 year olds fail to achieve 5 good GCSEs including English and Maths, and nearly a fifth of schools which failed to meet the government's benchmark of 30% of pupils achieving 5 good GCSEs (including English and Maths) are in the most deprived areas, whilst only 2% are in the richest areas. This underlines the increasingly wide gap that is emerging in education between the haves and the have-nots.

In Stockport it has been a constant battle with Whitehall to get resources directed to the town for education. There is a gap of almost a £1,000 per child per year between the money the Government gives to schools in Manchester compared to Stockport.

Stop-go planning in London means that programmes to rebuild high schools locally, and to completely redevelop Cheadle and Marple Sixth Form College have been dropped, too.

There is always plenty for me to chase up on behalf of local parents and young people.

Every child is different, so schools need to be free to teach children in different ways and get the very best from them. Liberal Democrats want every child to get an excellent education because it is the best way to get on in life, get a good job, and learn about the world.

We will cut class sizes, set teachers free to spend more time in the classroom and raise standards in every school with more money for things like one to one tuition and classes in the evenings.

For those youngsters leaving school, university is getting more and more expensive. To get a degree, young people are saddled with thousands of pounds of debt when it is tough enough to get a job, get on the housing ladder and make ends meet.

Liberal Democrats are the only party which believes university education should be free and everyone who has the ability should be able to go to university and not be put off by the cost.

Below, you can read more about what I have been doing about some of the big issues in education, and what the Liberal Democrats would do to make things different. You can also see the questions I have been asking about Education matters in the House of Commons by clicking on the following links:

Children, Schools and Families.

Education and Skills.

Innovations, Universities and Skills.

Student Debt

The cost of Higher Education is continuing to soar each year, and burdening young people with huge, and ever increasing debts. In May 2009, I highlighted the fact that Students in Stockport starting University in the autumn would be in debt to the tune of at least £135 million between them by the time they graduated.

On average a student runs up more than £21,500 of debt under the current system, double the amount of debt incurred before the introduction of top-up fees, and £4,000 more than students who graduated last year.

With a record number of new students starting courses this year, the debt burden will be hitting many more local families from now on.

The NUS calculated that owing to the interest rate being charged on the debt, a graduate would have to earn a minimum of £23,444 on graduation just to keep pace with the annual interest. The average graduate starting salary is only £19,300. One strange side-effect of the economic collapse is that at least for the last few months that interest rate has no longer been adding to student's burden - just now it is actually negative!

The Liberal Democrats believe that education should be free at the point of use, and in Parliament I and the other Lib Dem MPs opposed the introduction of student fees, and top-up fees. We are the only party committed to scrapping fees, and increasing bursaries, so that students are provided with the level of support they need to get through their education without racking up huge debts.

Read More:

Stockport Students Face £135 Million Debt.

Abolish the Learning and Skills Council!

I have a longstanding critic of the Learning and Skills Council, which has been responsible for a string of high-profile blunders that have adversely affected the education of many Stockport students.

First came the Educational Maintenance disaster, where only 265 students receiving their first EMA payment on time, in the first week of the 2008 School year. Things hadn't improved much by January either, as 919 successful students had still not received their money, and a further 580 applications had yet to be processed - all this two weeks into the second term of the school year. Liberata, who administered the EMA on behalf of the LSC were sent packing, but I will be keeping a close eye on the LSC handling of the EMA situation this year, to make sure that all Stockport students get the money they're entitled to - on time.

As if that wasn't enough, the LSC Chief Executive Mark Haysom resigned after it emerged that the funding for their college rebuilding projects was slashed, leaving many projects, such as Marple and Cheadle Sixth Form College, in limbo. The remaining money has now been allocated, and Marple and Cheadle have been left in the position of having to call a halt to their project, and wait to reapply until autumn of 2010 at the earliest.

It is clear to me that the LSC is not fit of purpose, and I am pleased that it is set to be scrapped, although the government aren't scrapping it until 2010, giving it another year to wreck havoc with our local colleges and their students' education.

Read More:

Stockport Colleges Left in Limbo by LSC Decision.

LSC Chief Resigns After Collapse of Marple and Chealde Sixth Form College Building Project.

Learning and Skills Council Should be Scrapped after Failing Stockport Students.

Continued EMA Delays a Disgrace.

Our Priorities For Education

The Liberal Democrats believe that all children and young people should get the very best possible education no matter where they are born. All children will benefit from our plans to cut class sizes, set teachers free to spend more time in the classroom and raise standards in every school with more money for things like one to one tuition.

A Quality Education for All Children

Instead of tackling inequality, our education system makes it worse - bright children from poor backgrounds are still likely to fall behind and never catch-up. The Liberal Democrats want to make sure that all children do well in school, no matter where they are born. We will introduce a Pupil Premium, giving more money to schools so that they can provide things like one-to-support and catch-up classes for the children who are struggling. Pupils in Stockport Borough would receive an extra £14 million each year for their education under our plans.

Cutting Infant Class Sizes

Young children are starting school in some of the largest classes in the developed world making it very difficult for teachers to give them the attention they need. The Liberal Democrats are the only party which will cut class sizes and make it easier for teachers to set children on the right footing as they start their education. We'll give schools extra cash so that infant classes (5-7 year olds) can be cut to private school levels of only 15 children.

Scrap Tuition Fees

University has got more and more expensive. To get a degree, young people are saddled with thousands of pounds of debt when it is tough enough to get a job, get on the housing ladder and make ends meet. The Liberal Democrats are the only party which believes higher education should be free and everyone who has the ability should be able to go to university and not be put off by the cost. We will scrap tuition fees for all students taking their first degrees saving them almost £10,000 each.

Read more about our proposals for education in our policy papers:

Equity and Excellence.

Investing in Talent.