Tories urge councils to turn the voluntary sector rather than providing nursery education Campaign Significantly, the rural schools will not be subject to the same capitalist rationale. Perhaps because the Tories have no expectation of winning support in but have much to defend in rural areas, that they aren't prepared to take any risks with their support in rural areas of Britain point.
As regards further education, the universities will be run by a new University Funding Council (UFC), with "nonacademics' fully par ticipating. Polytechnics will removed _Local Education Authority (LEA) control. This combination of proposals adapting further education to the direct needs of modern capital as never before.
Education, always used serve capitalism, has traditionalorganised mainly through the local state. The post war consensus whereby Labour controlled councils would assist this purpose is no longer reliable. The deep economic and social crisis has prompted the Conserall.
The Tory manifesto is clear. It states 'we will allow state schools to opt out of LEA (Local Education Authority) control... They would become independent charitable trusts.
What would be the status of the schools that were allowed to leave the local system? Kenneth was Ccal there has been no retreat. Schools opting out of local authority control COle become grammar schools.
Baker said that when a school applied to opt out of the local authority system at first he: would want to assured that the character of the school and its range of ability would be retained'. However it at a later time a school wished to change that character: State for Education Kenneth Baker appearing to publicly contradict each other. But the row was not because there was confusion as to what Tory policy was — as the press claimed. The reason was that Conservative policy was drastically unpopular and they had mistakenly let the cat out of the bag. Comparing the policy statements by Thatcher, and supposed corrections' of them later, shows no ambiguity on policy at 'they would be able to make application under the 1980 Education Act which allows local authorities to request change in school's ethos.
Thatcher made it clear last Friday these schools re-introduce selection. Thatcher said selection was already in use by direct grant schools navate dee noos. is up to the school to pursue its own admission policies Thatcher spelt it out without ambiguity on Sunday. 'I am a great believer in grammar schools, particular v in large cities... It there are proposals to set up Slalla. schools, either from local education authorities or from teachers and parents, that too would be considered.
There was no ambiguity on policy - Schools removing themselves from local authority contro would have to remain comprehensive for cosmetic period. coll But then initia they would be allowed to change their character to become selective grammar schools.
payment of fees Thatcher also opened up the door She said on rmday: 'Schools which opt out education authorities will still be state schools. We do not and will not charge admission fees at state schools. ' However she also said: grant maintained school (one that has opted out loca authority control) wishes to raise extra funds as a trust for specific projects then it will be free to do so' Thi obviously is the thin end of the wedge to payment for education Giles Radice quite right ly said: "Her hope Is ot viously for a commercial schooling system in which there would be low-cost, low-grade provision for the majority and a different strata of schooling at dif ferent prices for the buyin minority.
Socialist Action 29 May 1987
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THE TORY campaign on education was a shambles at the end of the last week with Thatcher and Secretary of