Concerns Remain About the Decline in Education Expenditure
TIGA, the trade association representing the UK games industry, welcomed an announcement by the Government of a £2 million a year partnership between the Department for Education and the Institute of Physics to attract the best graduates to become physics teachers. However, concerns remain about the decline in education expenditure.
Public expenditure on education is set to fall by 13 per cent over the next four years (http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/14c7e066-fe47-11e0-a1eb-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1d9D0ZlDF) Around 100 scholarships worth £20,000 each will be available every year for graduates with a 2:1 or first class degree who are intending to do a mainstream physics, or physics with maths, Initial Teacher Training (ITT) course.
Dr Richard Wilson, TIGA CEO, said:
“TIGA has recommended that governments should take steps to attract the best graduates into teaching for some years now, so it is good to see the Department for Education taking active steps to do this. TIGA hopes that the Government will implement similar schemes as part of a process of enhancing standards in education.”
However, TIGA remains concerned about the 13 per cent fall in public expenditure on education over the next four years. Dr Wilson added: “High technology sectors including the video games industry compete on the basis of a highly skilled workforce. This in turn means that higher education and indeed primary and secondary education need to be adequately funded. Despite the Government’s spending constraints it is vital that the quality of education is not impaired.”
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Notes to editors:
About TIGA:
TIGA is the trade association representing the UK’s games industry. The majority of our members are either independent games developers or in-house publisher owned developers. We also have games publishers, outsourcing companies, technology businesses and universities amongst our membership. In 2010 TIGA won two business awards including ‘Trade Association of the Year’ from the Trade Association Forum. In 2011,
TIGA won six business awards including ‘Trade Association of the Year’ from the Trade Association Forum and ‘Outstanding Organisation’ from the Chartered Management Institute. Richard Wilson won the ‘Leadership Award’ from the Trade Association Forum and the ‘Outstanding Leader’ award from the Chartered Management Institute. TIGA is an Investors in People organisation.
TIGA's vision is to make the UK the best place in the world to do games business. We focus on three sets of activities: political representation, generating media coverage and developing services that enhance the competitiveness of our members. This means that TIGA members are effectively represented in the corridors of power, their voice is heard in the media and they receive benefits that make a material difference to their businesses, including a reduction in costs and improved commercial opportunities.
For further information, please contact Dr Richard Wilson, TIGA CEO on: 07875 939 643, or email richard.wilson@tiga.org.
