Fury as college becomes first in Britain to introduce a FOUR-day week because of energy crisis as it tells students to do homework on Friday instead to save on cost of heating classrooms
- Over 12,000 students and 1,000 staff will be affected by the schedule change
- College maintains that pupils’ learning won’t be affected by loss in school day
- Some parents have shared their anger as the energy costs will be passed home
- ***Is the four-day week change at college impacting you? Get in touch: [email protected]***
A college in Essex has become the first in Britain to introduce a four-day working week due to the cost-of-living crisis.
Pupils at South Essex College will receive the same number of face-to-face learning hours between Monday and Thursday, with classrooms being shut on Fridays from now on.
Instead, the college, which teaches students from age 14 to undergraduates and adults, will now encourage its pupils to complete ‘independent study’ while teachers catch up on administrative tasks and marking.
The move has sparked fury amongst parents who claim it will simply pass the energy costs of the college onto individual households.
With campuses in Basildon, Southend and Thurrock, over 12,000 students and 1,000 staff members are to be affected by the change.
One parent of a second-year student at the Basildon campus told the Southend Echo: ‘I think it is disgusting that parents are expected to pay more on their electric bill as the students will be using electric at home now on Fridays.
South Essex College has become the first in Britain to introduce a four-day working week due to the cost-of-living crisis – instead telling students to do homework on Fridays
‘I could not believe it when my son came home and told me the news.’
A social media user posted her thoughts of the change online: ‘If this is the case then gas and electric companies should be made to cut their costs.
‘There is enough affecting our kids educations, gas and electric costs should NOT impact the children’s education. Wtf is the matter with this world!’
One other user said that the change was just to allow teachers to have a four-day week.
She said: ‘Just have to put more clothes on like we are all going to have to do. Get fed up with bloody teachers moaning all the time.’
But the college has maintained that students will not be disadvantaged by the schedule change.
A spokesman for the college told MailOnline: ‘The college continuously looks at how we can improve the delivery of our provision. In doing so we have scheduled timetables over four days a week, for multiple benefits.
‘It will give teachers dedicated time to complete marking and admin, making the most of the benefits we have learnt from the past couple of years. This will also allow students to undertake independent study as they prepare for higher education or work.
‘It’s important to remember college differs from school in that independent study time has always been incorporated into all timetables with supervised learning scheduled for three or four days a week.
‘It is true that cost pressures on utilities and other elements of running the college have meant we have looked at ways to make savings that do not impact on students or staff.
‘This decision will not disadvantage students as no study time will be lost and no sessions have been timetabled for Fridays. Instead, this day will incorporate the independent study time which is part of every course.’
The spokesman also added that the move gives teachers the ‘dedicated time’ to ‘complete marking and admin’ and is ‘making the most out of the benefits we have learnt from the past couple of years.
The move has sparked fury amongst parents who claim it will simply pass the energy costs of the college onto individual households
South Essex College, which has EastEnders actress Maisie Smith and TV presenter Ross Kemp amongst its alumni, teaches A-Levels and vocational courses included BTECs and apprenticeships, as well as higher education degrees.
Last month it was revealed that school leaders across the UK were said to be considering shorter school weeks to help pay for teacher salary rises and the ever growing energy bills.
Headmaster of Southend High School for Boys in Essex, Dr Robin Bevan, told The Telegraph: ‘In the absence of long overdue above-inflation investment in school funding, it’ll become a realistic prospect sooner rather than later.’
According to the Association of Colleges annual energy bills have risen by over £1million for many colleges like South Essex, with some in particular reportedly being hit by ‘four-fold increases’.
Chief executive of the Association told the publication: ‘Colleges are looking at their finances and exploring every available avenue to cope with unprecedented budgetary challenges caused by soaring inflation and spiralling energy costs while upholding a high-quality education for students.’
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