Another Barmy Education Idea from the Government
The Government is asking scholls that have saved money to pay back their surpluses. One of my local governors got in touch, and skewers the policy very nicely in this e-mail:
“Once again, the basic thought is right that schools should not keep excessive unallocated balances, but the usual sledgehammer approach means that all schools, even the most thrifty and careful, will potentially be hit. What also appears to being missed is that the revenue and capital budgets are split, and this plan only affects revenue budgets (used to run the schools day to day). But there is a separate plan for capital budgets that could see “modernised” schools (no definition as yet) lose 50% of their capital allocation. Once again, some schools do carry large forward capital balances, but it is not sensible to hit all schools without reference to why they are accumulating the money, If you add these two schemes together this could put schools in a financial crisis. Should the schemes go ahead, I believe that the Schools Forum should be left to decide how the money is redistributed, and none should go back to the Treasury, but stay in the local authority. At the moment, the situation seems confused. We have to bring more commonsense and less knee jerk thinking into government – after all it is supposed to be about listening to the people.”
I couldn’t agree more. It is quite right (well, kind of right) that schools should at least explain why they have a surplus, so it is not being accumulated for no purpose. But if we are to set schools and teachers free, they should be allowed to keep their surplus and spend on what is right for their school.
Tizzy said on November 8th, 2007 at 7:16 pm:
As ever was. This barmy situation has been around for decades in public service institutions. I remember when funds for another new chair/table could be found, year on year, yet pay, recruitment or other investment was effectively cut.