Thousands join protest over education cuts

THOUSANDS of teachers, lecturers and parents from across Scotland took part in a protest march against education funding cuts in Glasgow yesterday.

The demonstration is part of a campaign by the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) to defend education and "protect the funding of schools, colleges and universities".

Almost 10,000 demonstrators marched through the city centre to the SECC, where they held a rally.

President of the EIS Helen Connor told supporters: "The message is clear – that the people of Scotland will not accept our children's education being damaged in order to pay for the publicly funded bailout of failed financial institutions."

Connor added: "Now we must build on this strong support today and build a long-term campaign to defend Scottish education and to protect the level of funding invested in our schools, colleges and universities.

"By cutting back funding now, by seeking the cheap option to their education, the government will damage not only our children's futures but the future of our entire country. We simply cannot allow that to happen."

However, education secretary Mike Russell said: "So far education has been protected by the SNP government, with councils reporting planned increases of 2.6 per cent this year."