Latest news with #Kebede
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Do schoolchildren need to ‘advocate for Palestine'?
What should children be taught about the war in Gaza? The simple answer is: nothing. Schools are not political institutions and keeping global conflicts out of the classroom allows teachers to focus on education. More realistically, faced with older pupils keen to discuss hot button issues, some teachers might decide to act as a neutral arbiter of debate. But the National Education Union seems intent on going further. Britain's largest teaching union not only wants to bring the 'Palestinian struggle' into schools, it plans to train members in how to 'advocate for Palestine'. At a workshop set to be held in Liverpool next month, teachers will learn 'educational approaches that capture the history of the Palestinian struggle' which are 'aimed at strengthening the movement for Palestinian liberation'. Let's be clear: this is neither neutral 'awareness raising' nor a straightforward dissemination of facts. By bringing 'the Palestinian struggle into schools' in this way, the NEU's leadership is taking one side in a fiercely contested global conflict and encouraging its members to do the same. After the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 2023, the NEU did not to my knowledge hold workshops advocating for Israel. Today, sadly, 'strengthening the movement for Palestinian liberation' effectively means siding with Hamas. This turns the classroom into a hostile environment for Jewish students at a time when anti-Semitism is on the rise, including, shamefully, within schools and universities. But the NEU has form on this issue. The hardline head of the union, Daniel Kebede, is a militant anti-Israeli activist who has attended numerous rallies and called on gathered crowds to 'globalise the intifada,' interpreted by many Jewish people as an incitement to violence. Kebede has since said he used those words 'in regards to civic protest and oppose violence' and that he has been 'unequivocal in [his] condemnation of the attacks on October 7'. Meanwhile, another of the union's executive members, Louise Regan, is also a chair of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. The workshop is not the only pro-Palestine activity the NEU has planned. The union is encouraging teachers to hold a day of action at their place of work on Thursday to highlight 'the Palestinian struggle for freedom'. Of course, teachers should be free to hold whatever beliefs they like. And outside of school hours, they should have the same rights to protest as other members of the public. But when your place of work is a school and your audience is children who are compelled to attend, then you are not simply exercising your right to free speech: you are abusing your position. Teachers exercise huge influence over children's lives. Introducing children to knowledge of the world they have been born into is a huge responsibility and a tremendous privilege. Teachers shape children's attitudes and values. It is because of this power that the UK already has legislation barring the promotion of partisan political views in schools. Educators have a duty not to use the classroom as a recruiting ground for their favoured political causes. It is perhaps unsurprising that senior union officials seem confused as to where the boundaries lie between activism and teaching; after all, many aspects of schooling have been politicised. From lessons in sexuality and gender identity to the decolonised history curriculum, from campaigners addressing assemblies to pupils making videos to welcome migrants or fasting in solidarity with children in Gaza, the line between teaching and indoctrination appears increasingly blurred. Yet Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson's curriculum review looks set to take schools still further down this path. But for teachers to exploit the authority they have over children in support of a political cause is morally reprehensible. A teaching qualification should not give anyone the right to use the classroom as a pulpit and the 'Palestinian struggle' should be kept out of schools. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Sky News
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
NEU teaching union executives meet to draw up plans for strike action
Plans for strike action were set to be drawn up by the UK's largest teaching union when its executive met on Wednesday evening, Sky News has learnt. The special executive of the National Education Union (NEU) were expected to map out a number of scenarios in a full ballot for industrial action while it waits for a final pay offer from the government. The Department for Education (DfE) has proposed a 2.8% pay rise for the 2025/26 financial year, saying it was an "appropriate" offer that would "maintain the competitiveness" of teachers' pay despite a "challenging financial backdrop". It comes on top of the 5.5% pay rise accepted by teachers last year for 2024/25, which followed eight days of strikes in England in 2023. However, the NEU, led by general secretary Daniel Kebede, has rejected the 2.8% offer as "unacceptable" and "unfunded". Instead, the union is calling for a fully funded, above-inflation pay rise - although it has not put a figure on the proposal it would like to receive. Mr Kebede has also criticised the government for suggesting schools could pay for it by making "efficiencies" in their budgets, saying schools have already faced years of cuts. 'Anger and fear about what is happening in education' The government will only finalise its offer once it has received the recommendations of the School Teachers' Review Body (STRB), which makes recommendations on the pay of school teachers in England. The DfE has not yet published the STRB recommendations or its decision on whether to accept them - but it is expected that this will happen imminently. A source on the executive told Sky News there was "real clarity about the impact of an unfunded pay award", adding: "There is a lot of anger and fear about what is happening in education." They said any potential strike action, if approved, would be targeted at the first half of the autumn term and so would be unlikely to affect student exams. In an indicative electronic ballot that was launched at the beginning of March, 93.7% of NEU respondents turned down the proposed 2.8% pay rise, while 83% of teachers said they would be willing to take industrial action to secure a better deal. However, the result was achieved on a turnout of 47.2% - lower than what would be needed if the union's formal ballot is to be successful. Under trade union legislation, the NEU must achieve a turnout of 50% in both the teacher and support staff ballots. Some 40% of those eligible to vote must back strike action for it to go ahead. The government has promised to repeal the 2016 Trade Union Act but has delayed the process until after electronic balloting has been introduced. The source on the NEU executive said: "The decision of the NEU conference was that schools can't afford an unfunded pay rise - we are already seeing redundancies in London and that situation is going to be dire next year. "Schools are suffering an improvement and retention crisis, morale is bad and teaching is not high on the list of well-paid graduate jobs." They said that as well as pay, teachers were also concerned about the new Ofsted inspection system and the impact AI could have on de-skilling the profession and job losses. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: "With school staff, parents and young people working so hard to turn the tide on school attendance, any move towards industrial action by teaching unions would be indefensible.
Sky News
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Top brass of NEU teaching union meets to draw up plans for strike action
Plans for strike action will be drawn up by the largest teaching union when its executive meets this evening, Sky News has learnt. The special executive of the National Education Union (NEU) will map out a number of scenarios in a full ballot for industrial action while it waits for a final pay offer from the government. The Department for Education (DfE) has proposed a 2.8% pay rise for the 2025/26 financial year, saying it was an "appropriate" offer that would "maintain the competitiveness" of teachers' pay despite a "challenging financial backdrop". It comes on top of the 5.5% pay rise accepted by teachers last year for 2024/25, which followed eight days of strikes in England in 2023. However, the NEU, led by general secretary Daniel Kebede, has rejected the 2.8% offer as "unacceptable" and "unfunded". Instead, the union is calling for a fully funded, above-inflation pay rise - although it has not put a figure on the proposal it would like to receive. Mr Kebede has also criticised the government for suggesting schools could pay for it by making "efficiencies" in their budgets, saying schools have already faced years of cuts. 'Anger and fear about what is happening in education' The government will only finalise its offer once it has received the recommendations of the School Teachers' Review Body (STRB), which makes recommendations on the pay of school teachers in England. The DfE has not yet published the STRB recommendations or its decision on whether to accept them - but it is expected that this will happen imminently. A source on the executive told Sky News there was "real clarity about the impact of an unfunded pay award", adding: "There is a lot of anger and fear about what is happening in education." They said any potential strike action, if approved, would be targeted at the first half of the autumn term and so would be unlikely to affect student exams. In an indicative electronic ballot that was launched at the beginning of March, 93.7% of NEU respondents turned down the proposed 2.8% pay rise, while 83% of teachers said they would be willing to take industrial action to secure a better deal. However, the result was achieved on a turnout of 47.2% - lower than what would be needed if the union's formal ballot is to be successful. Under trade union legislation, the NEU must achieve a turnout of 50% in both the teacher and support staff ballots. Some 40% of those eligible to vote must back strike action for it to go ahead. The government has promised to repeal the 2016 Trade Union Act but has delayed the process until after electronic balloting has been introduced. The source on the NEU executive said: "The decision of the NEU conference was that schools can't afford an unfunded pay rise - we are already seeing redundancies in London and that situation is going to be dire next year. "Schools are suffering an improvement and retention crisis, morale is bad and teaching is not high on the list of well-paid graduate jobs." They said that as well as pay, teachers were also concerned about the new Ofsted inspection system and the impact AI could have on de-skilling the profession and job losses. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: "With school staff, parents and young people working so hard to turn the tide on school attendance, any move towards industrial action by teaching unions would be indefensible.
The Independent
17-04-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Teaching union will make Labour pay ‘high political price' without improved pay
The country's largest education union will campaign in Labour MPs' constituencies and make them 'pay a high political price' if the pay offer is not improved, a union chief has warned. Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), said they 'stand ready' to take strike action if the Government's final pay and funding offer is not increased. In his speech to the union's annual conference, Mr Kebede said it was 'indefensible' for a Labour Government to cut school funding and he added 'we expect better'. Delegates at the NEU conference voted to launch a formal strike ballot if the final outcome of the School Teachers' Review Body (STRB) process 'remains unacceptable' – or if the Government does not announce real-terms funding increases in the spending review in June. Addressing delegates, the union chief said: 'If the STRB recommendation is not above inflation, if it is not a pay award that takes a step towards a correction in pay, if it does not address the crisis in recruitment and retention, and unless it is fully funded, then we stand ready to act industrially. 'We will make Labour MPs pay a high political price through our campaigning in their constituencies, with our parents, across the country.' Mr Kebede called for 'salary caps' for chief executives of academy trusts in a bid to end 'greed'. On Thursday, he said: 'While schools struggle to afford basic resources, whilst support staff are being paid poverty wages, and whilst teachers are leaving the profession in droves, some academy CEOs are cashing in. 'This is not just an injustice, it is a national scandal.' During his speech, the union chief spoke about the television drama Adolescence, which examines so-called incel (involuntary celibate) culture. He said: 'It is true that the representation of schools and teachers was neither fair nor accurate, but as a father, as an educator, I felt fearful for my son and his friends, both boys and girls.' Mr Kebede told delegates: 'Across our schools, we are witnessing a disturbing rise in misogyny that is infecting classrooms, playgrounds, and online spaces. 'Teachers and support staff are reporting a problematic trend where sexist, degrading ideas towards women and girls are being normalised amongst young people. 'Social media platforms have become breeding grounds for misogynistic content and at the same time, the widespread availability of violent and degrading pornography is shaping young people's perceptions of sex and relationships.' He added that a 'safeguarding crisis' is being 'fuelled by tech companies'. Mr Kebede said: 'We will fight for regulation to force social media platforms to take real action against algorithms pushing harmful ideas to our children. 'The fight against online harm is a fight for the soul of our schools and society and it is one we must win.' Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: 'With school staff, parents and young people working so hard to turn the tide on school attendance, any move towards industrial action by teaching unions would be indefensible. 'Following a 5.5% pay award in a hugely challenging fiscal context, I would urge NEU to put children first.'
BBC News
17-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Teachers will rally against Labour over pay, says NEU leader
The UK's largest teaching union will "make Labour MPs pay a high political price" if the government does not offer teachers in England a fully funded, above-inflation pay rise, its general secretary has Kebede said members of the National Education Union (NEU) "expect better from a Labour government" than the pay recommendation ministers have said NEU members would campaign in Labour constituencies if it did not change - and "stand ready to strike".Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has said "any move towards industrial action by teaching unions would be indefensible". The government has recommended a 2.8% pay rise for teachers in England and expects most schools will need to make "efficiencies" to fund NEU agreed at its conference in Harrogate this week that it would hold a formal ballot on strike action if the offer remains "unacceptable", or if no extra funding is announced. Phillipson has said: "With school staff, parents and young people working so hard to turn the tide on school attendance, any move towards industrial action by teaching unions would be indefensible."Following a 5.5% pay award in a hugely challenging fiscal context, I would urge NEU to put children first."Responding to her comments, Mr Kebede told conference it was "indefensible for a Labour government – a Labour government – to cut school funding"."After 14 years of Conservative austerity, we expect better from a Labour government," he said the final pay award must be above inflation and fully funded, representing a "correction" of teacher pay and helping to recruit and retain staff, otherwise "we stand ready to act industrially"."We will make Labour MPs pay a high political price through our campaigning in their constituencies, with our parents, across this country," he said."No teacher wants to strike, but we stand ready."Mr Kebede accused the government of a "betrayal" when it came to education funding. Mr Kebede also commented on a row with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage on Tuesday after the NEU branded Reform UK a "racist and far-right" the clash, Mr Kebede called Farage a "right-wing populist" but did not describe him as racist, while Mr Farage vowed to "go to war" with the teaching unions if it won the next general Thursday, Mr Kebede told NEU members that Farage "knows nothing about education"."And whilst this government might be rolling out the red carpet for Nigel Farage to walk into No 10, through their austerity agenda, we won't stand for it," he said.
