Kirklees College, photo

Kirklees College, photo   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

As Tory funding cuts to education take a large bite out of schools and colleges up and down the country, Kirklees College in Huddersfield is the latest to run into financial difficulty.

A ‘financial notice to improve’ was issued to the college on 7 November by the Education and Skills Funding Agency, after it assessed the college as having “inadequate financial health”.

This requires the college leaders to create a financial recovery plan and meet with government officials on a monthly basis.

While the college has not yet said whether any jobs will be under threat, this is likely, as education cuts have destroyed wages and jobs for teachers, teaching assistants and tutors throughout the country.

This shows the contempt that the bosses have for the hard-working staff in schools and campuses.

Huddersfield Socialist Party will be running mid-week campaign stalls at the college in the run up to Christmas to inform students of what is happening.

We will be forming a student group to get a meeting with the principal, Marie Gilluley, to demand that the financial recovery plans are made available to students.

Many students are now worrying whether their course will continue to be taught, and staff are worried about their jobs.

The college is looking to sell off its assets, with its Highfields building already on the market at £1.25 million.

However, it is also looking to acquire two more sites in Dewsbury and build a new campus, so any sale from this asset will be dwarfed by the expansion costs.

Kirklees College is one of the largest colleges in the country, with over 20,000 students and 1,200 staff.

With the likely culls to jobs and courses offered, this could change in the future. Only a sustained and organised campaign, led by students and staff, will be able to battle any cuts imposed on the college.

Matt Hirst, Huddersfield Socialist Party