Vote 2010: policy guide - education
Updated on 06 April 2010
Set against the challenge of reducing the country’s deficit over the coming years, education is likely to be a bitter battleground in the election, writes Katie Razzall.
The challenge of reducing the country’s deficit over the coming years means education is likely to be a bitter battleground in the election.
Labour, under attack for ploughing money into education but failing to produce results, says spending on schools (but not the entire education budget) will continue to rise by more than inflation.
The Conservatives want to give more power to parents through their "free schools" policy, and are talking of more traditional teaching methods - although education spending is not protected.
The Liberal Democrats, who want to allow teachers more freedom through decentralisation, say they will ring-fence education spending.
Improving literacy and numeracy is central to all the parties' policies, although any changes are only applicable in England.
L A B O U R
Coming to power in 1997 on a mantra of "education, education, education", Labour is keen to build on its successes.
It is pledging £400m to improve literacy and exam pass rates. It proposes an increased role for parents, who will be given a say in the running of schools and the power to bring new leadership in to struggling institutions.
Labour says it will guarantee every young person up to the age of 18 a free apprenticeship, training or a study place until 2015. In addition, it plans to build 20 new university campuses.
C O N S E R V A T I V E
With the educational background of Conservative MPs under the spotlight, the crux of the Tory policy is to ensure quality education is available to all.
Their flagship plan is to create Swedish-style "free schools", where parents and local communities could set up their own institutions. The funding for this project could also be made available to private schools that abandon selection and fees.
The Conservatives are proposing a "pupil premium", with funding for school places weighted toward disadvantaged children. The Tories, like Labour, are promising apprenticeships and training, with funding for 400,000 new places over two years, and they say they will create 10,000 new university places.
L I B E R A L D E M O C R A T
The Lib Dems are also championing a "pupil premium" scheme to cut class sizes and support failing children, for which they are putting aside £2.5bn.
The party wants to give more power to teachers. An education freedom act would take educational decision-making firmly away from the politicians and into the hands of local authorities, while sponsor-managed schools would replace Labour’s academies, to be commissioned by local authorities rather than central government.
The Liberal Democrat policy of scrapping tuition fees for higher education fees will remain in place, but would now come into effect over a six-year period.
