Labour is proposing sweeping changes to the education system through the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which critics say will restrict academy freedoms and drive down school standards. The bill aims to make the education system more consistent by ending academies' independence over teachers' pay, recruitment, and curriculum. This could lead to pay cuts for top-performing teachers in academies that currently exceed national pay scales. The bill also includes measures to require all state schools to teach the national curriculum, restrict the ability of good schools to expand, and give Whitehall powers to regulate school uniforms. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the bill is necessary to keep children safe, while shadow education secretary Laura Trott warned that it will make more schools "consistently bad".
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14260487/labour-education-vandalism-plan-overhaul-academies.htmlThe UK Government's decision to impose a 20% Value Added Tax (VAT) on private school fees from January 1 is expected to cause significant damage to state and private schools, according to teachers' warnings. The policy aims to raise £1.6 billion to recruit 6,500 state school teachers. However, the Independent Schools Council (ISC) claims that this will hurt children and families, including those in state schools, by forcing them to move schools mid-year. The Labour government's decision has been met with criticism from the Tories, who accuse them of "vindictively" disrupting thousands of children's education. The policy is part of a broader plan to scrap the 80% relief private schools receive on business rates from April, as outlined in Labour's election manifesto.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14240065/Private-schools-damning-warning-Labours-school-VAT-raid.htmlEducation Secretary Bridget Phillipson sparked a backlash after claiming that middle-class parents support Labour's plan to impose a 20% VAT on private school fees. She stated that the average private school fee of £18,000 per year is unaffordable for many middle-class families who want their children to attend state schools. However, critics including Dr Julie Robinson from The Independent Schools Council and Loveena Tandon from the Education Not Taxation campaign group disputed this claim, saying it is a "spiteful policy" that will harm education. The Labour government plans to raise £1.7 billion through the tax, which they say will fund 6,500 more state school teachers and help give every child a good start in life.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14234679/Education-Secretary-middle-class-Labours-VAT-raid.htmlThe Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa approved a series of development projects worth billions of rupees to improve infrastructure, education, health, and social welfare across the province. The flagship Ehsaas Hunar Program, valued at Rs 3 billion, aims to provide interest-free loans up to Rs 500,000 to over 35,000 skilled youth for starting their own businesses. Other notable approvals include a Rs 2.9 billion project to reconstruct and rehabilitate a 26-kilometer road in Chitral district, improvement of flood protection structures in Swat, and the establishment of a Government College of Commerce in Duggar, Buner. The PDWP also approved various infrastructure projects, including roads in South Waziristan, Tank, Batkhela, and Upper Chitral, as well as the construction of model religious schools and computer labs in registered religious schools.
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40340087/pdwp-approves-major-uplift-projects-in-various-sectorsThe UK's centre-left Labour government has announced plans to end tax exemptions for private schools, effective January 1, as part of efforts to address educational inequalities. The move is expected to raise over £1.5 billion (RM8.4 billion) annually, which will be used to fund thousands of new teachers and improve standards in state schools. Finance Minister Rachel Reeves stated that the funding will benefit the 94% of children educated in state schools, while Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson noted that high educational standards should not be limited to families who can afford them. The policy is expected to increase tuition fees for private schools by around 10%, with some schools absorbing part of the additional cost.
https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/2024/12/29/uk-ends-private-schools-tax-break-earmarks-15b-for-state-education/161484The UK Labour government has announced that it will end a tax exemption for private schools on January 1, requiring them to pay 20% value-added tax (VAT) on tuition fees. The move is expected to raise £1.5 billion in the 2025/26 school year and £1.7 billion by 2029/30, which will be used to fund 6,500 new teachers in public schools. The policy was promised by Labour during its election campaign and aims to address educational inequalities, with finance minister Rachel Reeves stating that "it's time things are done differently". Education secretary Bridget Phillipson added that high standards should not only be available to families who can afford them.
https://www.firstpost.com/world/time-for-change-labour-to-fund-state-schools-with-private-school-tax-revenue-13848290.htmlThe UK Labour Party's plan to impose a 20% VAT on private school fees has been met with criticism from the Independent Schools Council (ISC) and other experts. The tax, which is set to raise £1.7 billion, has been described as "shameful" by some, including Chris Ramsey, a former Headmasters and Headmistresses' Conference committee chairman. The ISC claims that the tax will disproportionately affect low-fee faith schools and specialist arts schools, as well as special education needs (SEN) provision for children who require additional support. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has stated that high standards should not be limited to families who can afford them, but rather accessible to every child.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14233001/School-chiefs-Rachel-Reeves-shameful-claim-VAT-raid.htmlThe UK government has introduced a new policy requiring private schools to pay a 20% value-added tax on tuition fees, which will be used to fund thousands of new teachers and improve standards in state schools. The funding, estimated at $1.9 billion for the 2025-2026 school year, is expected to rise to $2.1 billion by 2029-30 and will support the hiring of 6,500 new public sector teachers. This policy was promised by Labour during its election campaign and aims to address educational inequalities in the country, where 94% of children are educated in state schools. The tax is expected to increase tuition fees for private school students, with an estimated 10% rise, but education secretary Bridget Phillipson argues that high standards should not be limited to families who can afford them.
https://www.voanews.com/a/uk-to-tax-private-schools-in-1-9-b-boost-to-public-education/7917387.htmlThe UK government has announced a new policy aimed at reducing educational inequalities by imposing a 20 percent value-added tax on tuition fees for private schools, which will be used to fund thousands of new teachers and improve standards in state schools. The funding is expected to bring in £1.5 billion in the 2025/2026 school year, rising to £1.7 billion by 2029/2030, and will support the hiring of 6,500 new teachers in the public sector. This move was promised by Labour during its election campaign and has been welcomed by Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, who stated that high and rising standards should not be limited to families who can afford them. The policy is expected to increase tuition fees for private schools, which already average £18,000 a year, with the government estimating an additional 10 percent increase.
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40340028/uk-to-tax-private-schools-in-ps15bn-boost-to-public-education