Mike Treleaven joins Charles Kennedy to launch Liberal Democrat Education Manifesto

Charles Kennedy today launched the Liberal Democrat Education mini-manifesto at a press conference in Exeter accompanied by Totnes Liberal Democrat candidate Mike Treleaven.

Mr Kennedy pledged to cut class sizes for 5-11 year olds, to replace the National Curriculum with a Minimum Entitlement, to replace GCSEs, A-levels and vocational qualifications with a new diploma system, and to abolish student top-up and tuition fees.

Speaking after the launch Mike Treleaven said:

'It is a fundamental right of every child to have access to top quality education and our focus is on providing that close to home.

We will lower infant class sizes to 20 and juniors to 25. This means over 20,000 more teachers who will have the time to bring out the best in our children in these vital early years of their education.

Too many children have to be taught by teachers unqualified in the subject they are teaching. We are guaranteeing that in English, Maths, Science, ICT and Modern Languages every child will be taught by a qualified professional.

Our new diploma system for children after the age of 14, with its mixture of academic and vocational education, will stretch the academically gifted and give opportunities to those turned off by academic learning.

It is right and fair that everyone should be able to make the best of their talents which is why we propose to scrap university tuition and top up fees.

Are young people should not be saddled with huge debts as they start out in life. My wife and I and our two children have all enjoyed college education without the burden of tuition and top up fees and this should be available for all young people.

Here in the Totnes constituency we are fortunate to have excellent schools - we want to maintain that excellence and ensure that parents know that their child can go to their local school safe in the knowledge that they are receiving the best possible education'