On Wednesday, 1st February 2023, over half of the schools in England were partially closed due to teachers' strikes. According to government figures, up to 200,000 teachers were out on strike on one of the most significant days of strikes in years.

 

The National Education Union (NEU) has announced seven days of walkouts in February and March 2023. It has not been an easy decision, but teachers have decided to take action to improve their pay and working conditions. The NEU has said there is a “toxic mix of low pay and excessive workload.” According to statistics from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), due to the increase in the cost of living, teachers’ salaries in England have fallen by 11% between 2010 and 2022.

 

Whilst these walkouts are happening and views are being aired, we must look at the implications. When the teachers go on strike pupils are affected. Approximately 4 million schoolchildren across the UK will be sent home for the day missing out on vital education. Research shows that this could have a great impact on students and some may suffer consequences for a lifetime.

Young children may be left to try and educate themselves as parents may not be able to take days off work to stay and homeschool them. Many parents have therefore been against these strikes due to the stress, logistics and the cost implications they are causing. They have therefore compared this to the horror of lockdown homeschooling and how difficult the circumstances were.

 

Many GCSE and A-level students due to start their mock exams have complained that the strikes will cause disruptions in their crucial years of study due to the lack of help and support which is required at this time. If these walkouts extend for a longer period of time then pupils will fall even further behind in their studies and have great difficulty catching up. As if pupils have not already suffered enough setbacks during the pandemic.

 

Whilst we have sympathy for the teachers’ circumstances, children are the future of the country and the impact of these strikes on their education could have devastating long-term effects. I would therefore appeal to the government to treat this matter with urgency.