insight

Education is key city's future

My congratulations go out to all the pupils and students who have been successful in their exams this year. The council is now a long way from the 'bad old days' of being bottom of the league performance thanks to the endeavour of the pupils. I don't want the council, however, to rest on its laurels. Standards in English and maths are too low and more needs to be done to tackle the issues of behaviour and attendance. This year the council will place renewed emphasis on English, maths, behaviour and attendance to drive up standards in these core areas.
The issue of school buses is another area of change for the council. At the moment, parents of primary school children who are entitled to bus passes have to go through an enormous amount of red tape to access them. We are running a pilot project in seven schools to cut out that red tape altogether. I believe that by doing this we will save parents a lot of hassle and save tax payers' money. If this pilot is successful we will ensure this scheme is in place for all primary schools next year.
In the meantime, we will also focus on adult education. The council will shortly be setting up a skills fund to be used by local employers and employees in order to help them meet the cost of extra training. By helping to empower the workforce with new skills and education we will boost the local economy and improve people's life chances. The fund will also give individuals the chance to get more rewarding careers and connect them with job opportunities arising from the new developments taking place in the city.
A successful education system is the key to ensuring that Hull's physical regeneration is converted into social and economic regeneration. We, as a city, have made some important first steps in turning the corner in education provision. A lot more needs to be done, especially in those core areas listed above. This is what we will be concentrating on over the coming months to ensure our schools provide our children with the skills they need to thrive in the 21st century.

Cllr Carl Minns
Leader, Hull City Council