LABOUR'S decade in power has seen an increase of more than 36,000 teachers and almost 155,000 teaching support staff in English schools.
The figures were released in response to parliamentary questions from former education secretary David Blunkett.
Mr Blunkett, who led the Education Department from 1997 to 2001, said that they provided a `phenomenal good news story' about the government's investment in schools.
He said: "It is time to recognise the reality of the government's investment in education. Contrary to the cynicism and downbeat message that is so often portrayed on progress and improvement over the last 10 years, these figures tell a phenomenal good news story which should boost the morale of both parents and teachers alike.
"It is time to celebrate the results of both investment and reform as building blocks to further improvement and change in the years ahead."
The figures, provided by education minister Jim Knight, showed there were 435,600 full-time equivalent teaching posts in English schools in 2006, compared to 399,200 in 1997.
There were 287,530 support staff - including teaching assistants, special needs and minority ethnic pupil support staff, administrative and clerical workers, technicians and medical and child care staff - compared to 133,480 in 1997.
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36,000 more teachers under New Labour
February 12, 2007
Showing comments 1 to 8 and replies | View All
Dan, Manchester (12/02/2007 at 13:41)
Ace(Brian)Riley, manchester (12/02/2007 at 14:05)
But we have even more kids leaving school who cannot read or write Ect .Its not the how many teachers its the quality that matters? We now have people who sit in classes teachers helpers?.Ive said it so many times its time to swing the clock back to Basic schooling?The old system where we have "Controlled schooling" Where pupils are under stricked control.But no doubt our whinging looney liberals will start to cry ?IT DOSNT WORK???But i reply to those,That it does work and it worked for nerly a hundred years until the looney PC lot started to experiment with our kids...AND IT IS A EXPERIMENT.
Edna Cloud, Knotty Ash (12/02/2007 at 14:41)
Ace(Brian)Riley, manchester (12/02/2007 at 16:58)
And theve not stopped yet brown is to take over blair? (unelected) they dont care about the people that matter after all if we educate the people to much they just might see what labour is up to? feathering its own nest. and selling us all down the river (for a price) of course.LABOUR is the word we have all been put into HARD LABOUR for the forseable furure .And our kids will pay even more......
Working in Education, Stockport (12/02/2007 at 18:10)
The figures speak for themselves in terms of additional staff.
The impact takes a long time work through e.g. children entering nurseries in 2000 will not be leaving school until 2013. The agreement with teachers about administrative duties is only two years old.
Standards are and have been improving. How can anyone make the statement about literacy dropping without giving some factual information?
The previous comments are purely opinions and not backed by facts or studies.
There is an old saying â€"â€oeput up or shut†that should apply!
Anon, Manchester (12/02/2007 at 18:14)
They should have to work with some of the kids they pass out as 'qualified', that'd teach 'em a lesson!
Ace(Brian)Riley, manchester (12/02/2007 at 20:08)
I used to employ people in stockport and quite a few could not write their name ? Infact i know quite a high number of people who struggle with reading or writing? And the government has been promising from day one that education will improve ,Well ive got news for you (working in education) ITS NOT WORKING ,Im still meeting people who have to go to night school to read and write? Because they left school without these attributes.We have been sold a pup by people in the eduction conning us all and the government?The people in education are not going to admit to failing because their jobs would be on the line so they took a leaf out of the governments books and started to use (SPIN) Because by the time this lot of kids leave most teachers would have either moved school oe retired......just like this shower of labour bullies have been doing forv ten years(letting us all dowm)PAY TEACHERS EACH MONTH BY HOW WELL THEY TEACH .
Ace Riley, manchester (14/02/2007 at 09:24)
And this included Education (or lack of it should i say?).
Working in Education, Stockport
Are you right or are these Wrong?????no doubt youll have a clever answer??