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| UK govt’s education recovery chief resigns after reportedly seeking 10 times more funding for schoolkids’ support plan | UK govt’s education recovery chief resigns after reportedly seeking 10 times more funding for schoolkids’ support plan |
| (2 days later) | |
| The UK’s Education Recovery Commissioner Kevan Collins has resigned, with the Times Education Supplement (TES) reporting he stepped down amid a dispute over state funding for the government’s education recovery plan. | The UK’s Education Recovery Commissioner Kevan Collins has resigned, with the Times Education Supplement (TES) reporting he stepped down amid a dispute over state funding for the government’s education recovery plan. |
| Collins, a teacher of 30 years, was appointed by the government in February of this year to help young people catch up on work missed due to school closures during pandemic lockdowns. | Collins, a teacher of 30 years, was appointed by the government in February of this year to help young people catch up on work missed due to school closures during pandemic lockdowns. |
| But this week details of Collins’ plan were leaked to newspapers, which detailed how he was seeking £15 billion from the Department for Education, as opposed to the £1.4 billion that had been promised. | But this week details of Collins’ plan were leaked to newspapers, which detailed how he was seeking £15 billion from the Department for Education, as opposed to the £1.4 billion that had been promised. |
| His resignation letter to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson was published by the TES on Wednesday. | His resignation letter to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson was published by the TES on Wednesday. |
| In it, Collins refers to a meeting with the PM last week in which he says he told Johnson he does “not believe it will be possible to deliver a successful recovery without significantly greater support.” | In it, Collins refers to a meeting with the PM last week in which he says he told Johnson he does “not believe it will be possible to deliver a successful recovery without significantly greater support.” |
| “I do not believe it is credible that a successful recovery can be achieved with a programme of support of this size,” he adds. | “I do not believe it is credible that a successful recovery can be achieved with a programme of support of this size,” he adds. |
| Acknowledging the resignation, a spokesperson for Johnson said the PM “is hugely grateful” to Collins for his work in helping pupils recover from the effects of the pandemic. | Acknowledging the resignation, a spokesperson for Johnson said the PM “is hugely grateful” to Collins for his work in helping pupils recover from the effects of the pandemic. |
| Kate Green, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, said Collins stepping down was a “damning indictment of the Conservatives’ education catch-up plan.” | Kate Green, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, said Collins stepping down was a “damning indictment of the Conservatives’ education catch-up plan.” |
| The Times reported on Tuesday that Collins’ £15 billion recovery plan included extending the school day by 30 minutes and giving each child an additional 100 hours of teacher contact time per year from 2022. | The Times reported on Tuesday that Collins’ £15 billion recovery plan included extending the school day by 30 minutes and giving each child an additional 100 hours of teacher contact time per year from 2022. |
| Green attacked the plan as “woefully inadequate,” while education experts said the £1.4 billion funding agreed would only amount to around £136 per pupil. | |
| Earlier on Wednesday, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said he “absolutely” trusted Collins and defended the government’s plan, pointing to the £1.7 billion of funding that has already been given to schools in the pandemic. | Earlier on Wednesday, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said he “absolutely” trusted Collins and defended the government’s plan, pointing to the £1.7 billion of funding that has already been given to schools in the pandemic. |
| UPDATE: An earlier version of this article erroneously stated that the funding would only amount to around £50 per pupil. The story has been updated to reflect that with the number of pupils in the UK at 10,320,811 (as of 2018/2019), the £1.4 billion would, in fact, amount to £135.64 per pupil. | |
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