The teaching profession is “on life support” after years of underfunding, excessive workload and a deepening recruitment crisis, the incoming President of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union warned today.
Mark Dickinson, a biology teacher from Sittingbourne in Kent, said teachers were leaving the profession because of “unbearable” pressures and were constantly asked to do more with less.
He said: “Our profession is on life support; where school funding is a major challenge and unrelenting workload and high-stakes accountability is evident; leading to teacher burnout, poor mental health and a crisis in recruitment and retention.
“Every day, teachers face demands that are not just challenging, they are overwhelming.
“Expectations from government, schools, parents, and society have increased, while resources have not. Teachers are asked to do more with less, and to maintain professionalism, energy, and care in the process.
“I have seen colleagues stay late into the evening, not because of ambition, but because the system leaves them no choice. I have seen brilliant educators leave the profession because the pressure became unbearable.
“The message to all governments is simple, a system that burns out its teachers will ultimately fail the children it is meant to serve.”
Mark, who currently teaches biology at A‑level, alongside chemistry and physics at GCSE at Maidstone Girls’ Grammar School, said he wanted to see the NASUWT continue to campaign and fight on the issues of workload, mental health support, and fully funded pay for teachers.
“Teachers deserve pay that reflects their expertise, responsibility, dedication and their standing as a post graduate profession. We will not accept anything less than an above inflation, fully funded pay settlement.
“Fully-funded means exactly that. Schools should not be forced to cut staff, support services, or essential provision to cover the cost of a pay rise. Our fight is for fairness, for dignity, and for recognition.
“And we will pursue it with the same determination that defined the founding of this great trade union.”
