London SSU

Details

Wednesday, 06 May 2009

Written by Socialist Appeal

http://londonssu.org.uk/

London School Students’ Union:                 

Programme & Demands

We are a grassroots organisation aiming to unite school students across London to resist attacks on education and to stand up for the rights of students and staff. 

1. We demand that no school should close or have their budget cut. All students have the right to be educated in small class sizes and fully refurbished schools. Education is a national priority and must be treated as such; it cannot be where the government turns to for cutting corners.

2. No to privatisation – keep business out of our education. Schools should be run for the benefit of students, not for profit. We will campaign against the expansion of academies, PPP & PFI[1] schools, and for their return to public ownership.  We deserve a publicly funded education, not schools being run for businesses.

3. We demand free education, an end to tuition fees. We should all have the opportunity to go to university, not just of us who can afford it or are willing to take on huge student loans. We oppose the government’s plans to lift the £3,200 yearly cap on fees and demand that full grants are brought back for every student in higher education.

4. We will work with the teaching unions to campaign for better pay and conditions. Their fight for better pay and conditions is part of our fight for a better learning environment and we will support them in their campaigns and strikes.

5. For real student democracy. Replace weak student councils, which have no real power, with a democratic body with a real say in how schools are run. We demand that students are consulted with and listened to in decisions that affect them.

6. For a comprehensive range of educational opportunities. Certain subjects should not be the privilege of certain schools. Schools should receive sufficient funding to provide a full range of technical, academic, physical and arts subjects, so as to give students the best opportunity to go into a field that interests them. Consortium schools are not an alternative to providing a broad curriculum in every school.

7. We will organise on broader political issues. Our campaigns on education are linked to issues worldwide, and we will decide democratically when it is right for us to take action. Young people must engage in current affairs, and LSSU will debate concerns beyond our education system.

8. We will build links with school students and youth around the UK, and the rest of the world. We are not alone in our aspiration for improving education. The LSSU has a national perspective that goes beyond the M25. We are committed to building a national union structure, so as to effectively rebuff the attacks on our education. We stand together with the movement of students across the world.

Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.   or call Tali on 07800921828, Kady 07533568063