In April of last year, cut education grants by This cut, which was in line with the policies of the previous Tory governis merely a foretaste of what is ment, A government recently recommended further cuts of between £500 and £600 millions during the period 1976-80.
The impact of these cuts will, of course, be felt in all areas of education as local authorities are forced to 'prune! school building, facilities and staffing ratios. Already, 5000 teachers are unemployed and it has been estimated that this will escalate to over 15,000 by this time next year.
Such cuts will be particularly felt, however, in already inadequate nursery facilities as local authorities seek cutin what are considered 'ow prior•acks ity areas.
INADEQUATE Al present. local authorities for nursery facilities provides places for only 7% of children under five. It is already recognised, by the DHSS, that these are badly run and cannot provide places for the further 12, 000 children who are regarded as 'priority! cases for nursery care.
As a result of government cut-backs, however, even these limited facilities are in danger of being stripped away. It is not just a question of plans for lexpansion' but of actually cutting back existing places.
In Islington, only recently, the local authority has cut back on staff, cut 10 places in each of two nurseries and has completely closed another. What is happening in Islington is, part of a growing trend that is taking place throughout the country as local authorities console themselves with the thought that at least women can 'stay homel to look after them COLLEGES Cut-backs in nursery facilities can also be found, passed by NUS last year which noted that lack of child-care facilities put women students at a great 'disadvantage', Faced with smaller allowances, many colleges which nursery facilities will postpone them others will cut back on their 'staffing! ratios such as South Bank Polytechnic hoist up nursery fees exorbitantly, has Middlesex Polytechnic.
to say, all of these solutions' will effectively hinder women getting an adequate education and will ensure that the already low percentage women in higher education will drop still lower.
That the NUS is not unaware of this can be shown in the resolution passed at last year's conference which pointed out that 'The cuts presently being implemented in higher education will cause opportunities for women... to degenerate still more'.
DISCRIMINATION Cut-backs in nursery facilities will obviously effect the welfare of children since many mothers - forced to go out to work - will necessarily have Dennis Healey over £86m. minders.
however, White Paper ing inflation. government grants to the 4700 KIVO 500 NURSER PLACES postponing :700 00 NURSE has of course, despite the resolution The NUS, intended introducing and yet others will as should also, Needless to leave them with 'untrained' baby It will even more obviously effect thousands of women who wil be forced to stay home and sacrifice their own lives as they leave work or drop out of colleges. No doubt this may satisfy the government, who will therefore find it easier to get away with its mass unemployment strategy, but it will not satisfy women. Not only will they be forced to abandon their own independence but will be forced back into the home to live upon a single wage at a time of rapidly risSingle mothers will, of SOROUSUT THE BAND TOGETHER LIST MUKL Childink TO FIGHT support WILSON JURSE KIDE RIGHT TO WORK be hit harder than all others. confronted with the cutbacks, has called for action against important step forward and women in the government's poricies. This is an the Nus should fight inside the unior to ensure that this issue features in a -central way in the NUS platform.
however, be raised more generally within the labour movement which should also be forced to take up a struggle against the government's attacks on women's rights.
Marion Delaney
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LESS Brents
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