Vote now: Get your voice heard

If you’re based in the UK, remember to vote today. Think about which party will serve you, your students and your children best in education, the future and the future of our planet. We are passionate about equal and real opportunities in education and the world of work.

Here’s a brief summary of the parties’ manifestos on education.

Conservative

“Millions more invested every week in science, schools, apprenticeships and infrastructure while controlling debt,” claims Boris Johnson in his statement of guarantee.

The Conservatives say that one of their priorities is to invest in schools, and pledge a £14 billion boost in school funding, which includes £5,000 per secondary school pupil by next year, £10 million towards National Behaviour Hubs to help improve “behaviour and standards in schools” and an increase in teachers’ salaries to £30,000 by 2022-23.

Labour

The Labour party has a dedicated youth manifesto, aimed specifically at young people, and claims that “education is a right for all, not just a privileged few”.

The Youth Manifesto contains a fair few pledges, but those relating to education include the creation of a National Education Service to provide support to young people throughout their education, a review of the National Curriculum, an end to tuition fees, reestablishment of the Education Maintenance Allowance and the launch of a Climate Apprenticeship programme.

Labour pledges to increase funding to education and offers a detailed explanation of how and in what capacity it will fund schools, further education and lifelong learning.

Liberal Democrats

The Liberal Democrats has a Plan for Better Education and Skills, which aims to build “a brighter future for every one of our children and boost quality at every stage of education”.

One of their top priorities is to reverse cuts to school funding, employ 20,000 more schoolteachers and repair school and college buildings that are in disrepair, but their Plan for Better Education and Skills also has a fair few pledges; the broader focus being to “ensure England’s education system delivers high academic standards while also helping children grow into happy, healthy and confident adults; and nurtures and values all styles of learning”.

Green Party

The Green Party wants to “unlock education” and pledges to relieve the financial squeeze on schools by increasing funding to £4 billion a year. They also pledge to scrap tuition fees to make universities “fully accessible, with courses being offered as learning experiences, not as pre-work training. Education will be for education’s sake”.

Among many other pledges, the Green Party says it will introduce an English Climate Emergency Education Act to “to support schools to teach young people about the urgency, severity and scientific basis of the climate and environmental crises, and to ensure youth voices are heard on climate issues”.

Seven reasons why you should vote

If you’re not sure why you should vote – and feel that voting won’t make a difference – Voting Counts lays out seven good reasons to vote:

1. Voting gives you the power to decide how the UK is run

2. Get politicians working for young adults

3. If everyone just ‘gives up’ change will never happen

4. Many movements have campaigned to give you the right to vote.

5. MPs represent your local area in parliament and solve issues for local people

6. Voting is a way to show support for Electoral Reform.

7. You can leave your ballot blank, or spoil it, if you do not agree with any of the political parties.