At the end of the latest academic year, schools in England held surpluses of £2bn (2.85bn USD), a teachers’ union recently found. With annual figures having increased 15% since the previous year, the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) says it is “unacceptable” that funds are not being used to improve quality of education.

Though the practice of keeping money set aside for mitigating circumstances is commonplace, the extent to which some schools are hoarding is being labeled as excessive and counter-productive; 2011 will see ministerial intervention to redistribute the surplus should the situation not have rectified itself. The funding is distributed as a yearly allowance to benefit pupils - not a rainy day or renovation fund as many union members fear will be the case.

Conversely, the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) justifies the stockpiling of funds as a preemptive measure for the day the tumultuous economic climate forced budget cuts for educational institutes. General secretary of NAHT, Mick Brookes, cautions the public not to jump to conclusions: he is certain that the amount of money sitting idly by is minimal.

 Print This   Email This