Our kids deserve better

Head teacher’s fears amid schools cash crisis Parliament to debate petition calling for funds

A HEAD teacher has triggered a debate in Parliament today on the schools funding crisis after his online petition gained more than 100,000 signatures.

Andrew Ramanandi, who launched the petition in December, said, “Our children deserve better.”

He added he is one of “many head teachers” with concerns over funding.

He said trying to “make ends meet” was “verging on almost impossible”.

Mr Ramanandi, 46, of a primary school in Blaydon, Tyne and Wear, added: “I hope this debate will help the Department for Education secure more money from the Treasury.”

Many of the parents who signed the petition have been asked to make donations to state schools to provide money for books and equipment.

The DfE said: “While there is more money going into schools than ever before, we recognise the budgeting challenges schools face... The total core schools and high needs budget will rise from almost £41billion in 2017-18 to £43.5billion by 2019-20.”

Kevin Courtney, of the National Education Union, said teachers and parents “are not fooled” by those in the Government who “mislead with statistics about more cash than ever before, when costs and pupil numbers CONCERNS Mr Ramanandi are rising fast”. Staff who back the petition said budgets are at breaking point and that average funding will be down by £189,776 per secondary school in North East England in 2019/20 compared with 2015/16. Petitions on the Government website will be considered for a debate in Parliament if they get at least 100,000 signatures.