UK teachers face unbearable workload and inadequate pay: NEU survey

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
3 Apr 2023 15:04

Teachers in England and Wales say that their workload is 'unmanageable', while voting on the government's pay offer remains hidden.

Thousands of teachers wave banners in protest, demanding wage increases, near Downing Street in Westminster in London, Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023. (AP)

Teachers in England and Wales said they are facing unmanageable levels of stress and workload.

The National Education Union (NEU) revealed on Monday, in a study, that teachers are turning to antidepressants to cope with the intense workload they are facing. 48% of the teachers described their workload as unmanageable all or most of the time. While only 1% said that their workload is always manageable.

Almost 18,000 teachers answered the survey and pointed to workload and stress as major issues affecting their jobs.

Nearly 2/3 of the teachers said they are often worried about their well-being, which marks a notable increase since a similar NEU survey was done 2 years ago. In this survey, less than 1/2 of the respondents said that they were often worried.

Mary Bousted, the NEU joint General Secretary said: “We have known for a number of years that workload is the number one reason teachers decide to leave the profession, and it remains a major concern for support staff also. It is a key driver of the recruitment and retention crisis, where talented graduates suffer burnout within just a few years of qualifying.”

This comes in the context of constant strikes and school closures in England. Teachers recently voted on the government's pay offer.

The result of the vote may trigger further strikes scheduled on Thursday 27 April and Tuesday 2 May.

The government’s offer entails a one-off payment of £1,000 ($1,237.54) for the entire year of 2022 and a 4.3% pay raise for the majority of teachers starting September 2023. The government has also promised a new task force to cut the current teacher’s workload.

An unpublished survey for the Department for Education (DfE) revealed that 1 in 4 teachers in England were considering leaving the public sector next year. Most of the teachers pointed to the high workload they are facing. The participants in the survey also blamed stricter government inspection (Ofsted) and policy changes, followed by inadequate pay.

Shadow education secretary Bridget Phlipson told The Guardian that the results would “alarm parents across this country and could be disastrous for children’s education.”