Sturgeonland

[57vintage]

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/...lasgow-campus/

My EIS/FELA comrade at another college reacts:

“For the 'West' read ********** for us.

Kelvin is cutting provision for courses in Educational Support and Trade Union Education (completely). Both areas were recently praised as providing essential services for the community.

The attack on TU education fits in with Sturgeon's neo-liberal policies of marginalising the disadvantaged. The SNP are squeezing FE to compensate for their fûck-up with schools and HE.

Mass direct action needed to dislodge the corrupt and powerful.

It's likely that Comms and Social Sciences will be hit at **********. That's my prediction.”

This has been going on since the former 43 Scottish FE colleges were merged, swallowed up, and closed from 2007 onwards, with considerable loss of expertise, growth of ‘senior management teams’ coinciding with the cuts to teaching and support posts, the redundancy of teaching posts, and the resulting downgrading of teaching posts to far less costly ‘instructor’ level. The number of colleges has reduced to 26, with some wholly-unsuitable ‘mergers’ (frequently aggressive take-overs by predatory larger colleges with ministerial blessing).

Thank fuuck I got out of it 15 years ago when the writing on the wall became joined-up. The incompetence of Education ministers is now generally just accepted. Shirley-Anne Somerville is the latest nodding dog post-holder, displaying the ability level of John Inglis with her bootlaces tied together.

Still, rocks will melt in the sun and all that.

[stewarty27]

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/...lasgow-campus/

My EIS/FELA comrade at another college reacts:

“For the 'West' read ********** for us.

Kelvin is cutting provision for courses in Educational Support and Trade Union Education (completely). Both areas were recently praised as providing essential services for the community.

The attack on TU education fits in with Sturgeon's neo-liberal policies of marginalising the disadvantaged. The SNP are squeezing FE to compensate for their fûck-up with schools and HE.

Mass direct action needed to dislodge the corrupt and powerful.

It's likely that Comms and Social Sciences will be hit at **********. That's my prediction.”

This has been going on since the former 43 Scottish FE colleges were merged, swallowed up, and closed from 2007 onwards, with considerable loss of expertise, growth of ‘senior management teams’ coinciding with the cuts to teaching and support posts, the redundancy of teaching posts, and the resulting downgrading of teaching posts to far less costly ‘instructor’ level. The number of colleges has reduced to 26, with some wholly-unsuitable ‘mergers’ (frequently aggressive take-overs by predatory larger colleges with ministerial blessing).

Thank fuuck I got out of it 15 years ago when the writing on the wall became joined-up. The incompetence of Education ministers is now generally just accepted. Shirley-Anne Somerville is the latest nodding dog post-holder, displaying the ability level of John Inglis with her bootlaces tied together.

Still, rocks will melt in the sun and all that.

Been going on since we were at School Vintage,

https://newleftreview.org/issues/i10...eachers-revolt

[57vintage]

Been going on since we were at School Vintage,

https://newleftreview.org/issues/i10...eachers-revolt

Nope. I worked in HE/FE from 1992 to 2008, and once Thatcher freed FE from local authority control in 92/93 (about the only good thing the bastered ever did), it expanded and flourished, with an increased headcount, improved attainment and achievement levels, and improved employability/progress to HE via 2+2 arrangements. Colleges had their own individual ‘missions’ �� and understood the needs of local industry and service sectors. Forty three colleges probably did need rationalisation, but nothing like to the extent that has been thrust on them through brutal funding cuts and poorly-derived political zeal since 2007. The cuts have basically funded the ‘free tuition fees’ for university students (admirable, but the model of execution sucks. Cuts to FE provision disadvantages further individuals and groups in already-disadvantaged communities, and removes second chances for those who left school without academic or vocational qualifications. It is an important, but neglected sector which provides trained staff to fix your car, build your hoose, plumb it, wire it, and rotovate your gairden. It provides staff to all public service areas, from IT to facilities management, and it is an invaluable support to the agricultural industry.

Blair started it with his “50% should obtain degrees” nonsense, which immediately rendered FE a poor relation, and it has been kicked up the @rse ever since. It’s down to the bare bones now, and those most in need are bound to suffer further as a result.

How very socialist.

[stewarty27]

Nope. I worked in HE/FE from 1992 to 2008, and once Thatcher freed FE from local authority control in 92/93 (about the only good thing the bastered ever did), it expanded and flourished, with an increased headcount, improved attainment and achievement levels, and improved employability/progress to HE via 2+2 arrangements. Colleges had their own individual ‘missions’ �� and understood the needs of local industry and service sectors. Forty three colleges probably did need rationalisation, but nothing like to the extent that has been thrust on them through brutal funding cuts and poorly-derived political zeal since 2007. The cuts have basically funded the ‘free tuition fees’ for university students (admirable, but the model of execution sucks. Cuts to FE provision disadvantages further individuals and groups in already-disadvantaged communities, and removes second chances for those who left school without academic or vocational qualifications. It is an important, but neglected sector which provides trained staff to fix your car, build your hoose, plumb it, wire it, and rotovate your gairden. It provides staff to all public service areas, from IT to facilities management, and it is an invaluable support to the agricultural industry.

Blair started it with his “50% should obtain degrees” nonsense, which immediately rendered FE a poor relation, and it has been kicked up the @rse ever since. It’s down to the bare bones now, and those most in need are bound to suffer further as a result.

How very socialist.

Aye fair enough points taken. To be fair Norman Buchan's article was from 1962. Tell me do you know whatever happened to the trade Union course at Newbattle Abbey ?

[57vintage]

Aye fair enough points taken. To be fair Norman Buchan's article was from 1962. Tell me do you know whatever happened to the trade Union course at Newbattle Abbey ?

No idea. I was part of the HMIe inspection team there in 2005 or 2006, but only assessing the quality of academic support and service areas. If I’d known there were trades unions’ training programmes offered, I’d have been far more interested in that than interviewing leeching waankers like marketing managers and finance directors.

Nice setting though, and the curry hoose we ate in in Bonnyrigg would have been awarded a Very Good grading had it been on the agenda.

[stewarty27]

No idea. I was part of the HMIe inspection team there in 2005 or 2006, but only assessing the quality of academic support and service areas. If I’d known there were trades unions’ training programmes offered, I’d have been far more interested in that than interviewing leeching waankers like marketing managers and finance directors.

Nice setting though, and the curry hoose we ate in in Bonnyrigg would have been awarded a Very Good grading had it been on the agenda.

Aye that course was effectively closed by Malcolm Rifkind in 1987/88 when he withdrew funding, c unt !!

[Mason89]

Aye that course was effectively closed by Malcolm Rifkind in 1987/88 when he withdrew funding, c unt !!

I’ve heard a few tales about him.

[TheDeeDon]

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/...lasgow-campus/

My EIS/FELA comrade at another college reacts:

“For the 'West' read ********** for us.

Kelvin is cutting provision for courses in Educational Support and Trade Union Education (completely). Both areas were recently praised as providing essential services for the community.

The attack on TU education fits in with Sturgeon's neo-liberal policies of marginalising the disadvantaged. The SNP are squeezing FE to compensate for their fûck-up with schools and HE.

Mass direct action needed to dislodge the corrupt and powerful.

It's likely that Comms and Social Sciences will be hit at **********. That's my prediction.”

This has been going on since the former 43 Scottish FE colleges were merged, swallowed up, and closed from 2007 onwards, with considerable loss of expertise, growth of ‘senior management teams’ coinciding with the cuts to teaching and support posts, the redundancy of teaching posts, and the resulting downgrading of teaching posts to far less costly ‘instructor’ level. The number of colleges has reduced to 26, with some wholly-unsuitable ‘mergers’ (frequently aggressive take-overs by predatory larger colleges with ministerial blessing).

Thank fuuck I got out of it 15 years ago when the writing on the wall became joined-up. The incompetence of Education ministers is now generally just accepted. Shirley-Anne Somerville is the latest nodding dog post-holder, displaying the ability level of John Inglis with her bootlaces tied together.

Still, rocks will melt in the sun and all that.

I went back to college at 26 (to study accountancy!) and the lecturers were always complaining about how shyte things were becoming and that was over 20 years ago. I also remember the ad-hoc way they got lecturers which meant we often changed lecturers every two-three weeks for some subjects, especially law.

If I live to be a 1000, I will never understand why we need politicians to run or at least pretend to have anything to do with the running of any public services.

[57vintage]

If I live to be a 1000, I will never understand why we need politicians to run or at least pretend to have anything to do with the running of any public services.

Never let them forget that they just collect and allocate the tax take, ie your hard-earned (and mine again from today…), VAT, fuel duty, NI contributions, and 101 other ways, according to preference. That’s it.

So whilst they’re grandstanding, virtue-signalling, practising exceptionalism, riding each other daft, and exploiting their positions, it’s with the earnings of their mythical ‘hard-working families’.

I trust I can rely on your vote?

[Donanddusted]

So whilst they’re... riding each other daft, and exploiting their positions, it’s with the earnings of their mythical ‘hard-working families’.

I trust I can rely on your vote?

They must be doing a hell of a lot of riding because there are very few who aren't stupid.
Criminally so in quite a few instances.