Science money pledge 'broken'

Schools will be disappointed, Dr Dunford says

Extra money ministers promised to invest in science laboratories is not available, a union leader has learned.

During the election campaign the prime minister pledged £250m to re-furbish secondary school science laboratories.

But union leader Dr John Dunford said he had been told the money did not exist. He said schools had been "let down".

Ministers have said a further announcement on the manifesto pledge will be made in due course.

'Disappointed'

The extra £250m was to have come from the Department of Trade and Industry.

But Dr Dunford, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said he had been told the money would have to be found from the Department for Education's Building Schools for the Future Scheme.

The BSF programme provides money for the general refurbishment of secondary schools.

Dr Dunford said: "If ministers promise extra funding to win votes during an election campaign, the money should be forthcoming.

"Since the announcement was made almost a year ago, schools with poor science facilities have been waiting patiently to hear the details of the funding.

"They have been let down and they will be profoundly disappointed that this was an empty election promise."

In April last year, schools were told they would get an extra £75,000 over three years to refurbish one of their laboratories, with the total funding available totalling £250m.

Further announcement

Dr Dunford said he had received a letter from Science Minister Lord Sainsbury, stating that the money to refurbish science laboratories would have to come from BSF funding.

The letter said: "The substantial sum of £17.5 bn was allocated for the Department of Education and Skills to take forward the Building Schools for the Future programme.

"This programme includes commitments to build or modernise all secondary school science laboratories over the next 10 - 15 years."

But Lord Sainsbury added that the government was considering whether the existing funding was sufficient. If not, there was a possibility of a fresh bid for more money in the Comprehensive Spending Review.

A spokesperson for the Department for Trade and Industry said: "The DfES is continuing to improve schools over time and this includes science laboratories. On the manifesto pledge, further information will be announced in due course."

Shadow Schools Minister Nick Gibb said there was a "crisis in science teaching in this country".

"These broken promises over school laboratory funding will simply compound the problem."