Boris Johnson has been blasted for “failing” a generation of children while blowing an estimated £200m on a new national ship.
The Prime Minister’s own catch-up tsar quit last night - and warned Mr Johnson’s tight-fisted Covid school fund will reveal his approach to “a generation of children”.
Slamming the PM after his plea for around £15bn was cut to just £1.4bn, Sir Kevan Collins said: “A halfhearted approach risks failing hundreds of thousands of pupils.
“The support announced by government does not come close to meeting the scale of the challenge and that is why I have no option but to resign.”
Sir Kevan had suggested extending the school day by half an hour as part of a vast series of reforms to save a generation of learning.
But the plans announced by the government, while pledging up to 100 million hours of tuition, fell well short of what he asked for after the Treasury was said to have intervened.
Tory MP Robert Halfon today blasted the government for failing to afford a proper catch-up plan - but blowing around £200m on a ship.
Just days ago Boris Johnson announced he’ll splurge taxpayer cash on a “national flagship” to replace the Royal Yacht Britannia, promoting “best of British” around the world.
Mr Halfon - chair of the Commons Education Committee - told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Of course there are funding constraints, but the Treasury announced over £16bn extra for defence only last year.
“We’ve got £800m being spent on a new research agency, £200m being spent on a yacht.
“So where there is political will, the Treasury can find the money from the back of the sofa.”
In a thinly-veiled swipe at classics scholar Boris Johnson, who frequently uses Latinate terms, Mr Halfon said: "All the evidence shows that longer school days work – and I'm not talking about children sitting an extra hour in school learning Latin."
He said the £3bn overall on catch-up so far “was a hefty starter as long as there was a main course.
“It’s clear Sir Kevan Collins thought there was no main course and that’s why he resigned.
“It’s a huge blow. The government need to decide their priorities in terms of education - the last year has been a disaster for our children in terms of mental health, attainment, safeguarding and lifelong chances.”
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson yesterday pledged to look at extending the school day, but only in a longer-term project.
Downing Street hinted more money would have to be ploughed into the system, saying: “The government will continue to focus on education recovery and making sure no child is left behind with their learning, with over £3billion committed for catch up so far.”
But unions and Labour blasted the chaos and infighting in government for letting down kids.
Geoff Barton of the Association of School and College Leaders said yesterday: “Today’s announcement essentially equates to £50 per head; you compare that with the USA, which is putting £1,600 per head, per young person, or the Netherlands, £2,500 per head.”
Sir Kevan said even conservative estimates put the cost of lost learning in England at £100bn.
He added the current package of support "falls far short of what is needed" - and is “too narrow, too small and will be delivered too slowly."
Tory minister Victoria Atkins today insisted “this is a huge amount of funding” and the focus on one-on-one tuition was important.
But ex-Tory Minister Caroline Nokes told ITV’s Peston: “I think the government needs to listen to Sir Kevan Collins.”
And Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary Kate Green said: "Kevan Collins' resignation is a damning indictment of the Conservatives’ education catch-up plan.
“He was brought in by Boris Johnson because of his experience and expertise in education, but the Government have thrown out his ideas as soon as it came to stumping up the money needed to deliver them.
“Labour has set out a plan to deliver the bold policies that will boost children’s recovery from the pandemic recognising that learning and wellbeing go hand-in-hand together.
“Our children and their future ambitions and life chances depend on us getting this right. The Conservatives’ failure to deliver for children now could cost our country dearly long-term.”
Lib Dem education spokesperson Daisy Cooper added: “Our children deserve better than this useless Education Secretary. Time and time again he keeps getting it wrong. It really is the last straw - the Education Secretary has to go.”
Health Secretary Matt Hancock defended Mr Williamson for working "incredibly hard". He said: "I think the Education Secretary is doing a great job of putting that plan together."
