Keegan claims academics are amongst ‘prime 10% of earners’

The training secretary has claimed academics are “in all probability within the prime 10 per cent of earners in some elements of the nation”, and over-stated the typical head’s wage by over £20,000.

Talking to LBC this morning, Gillian Keegan additionally claimed academics’ salaries have been “lots increased than the typical salaries throughout the nation”.

However that doesn’t match with wage information printed by the Division for Schooling. The newest college workforce information exhibits the typical classroom trainer earned £39,000 in 2020-21.

Workplace for Nationwide Statistics information exhibits the typical wage in all occupations was solely barely decrease, at £38,131. The imply was used to calculate each figures.

Keegan was quizzed over trainer pay amid ballots for strike motion by the Nationwide Schooling Union, NASUWT academics’ union and NAHT college leaders’ union.

The training secretary pointed to the current announcement of £2 billion of additional funding for every of the subsequent two years. She additionally pointed to the enhance in beginning salaries this yr to £28,000. They’re as a result of rise once more to £30,000 by 2024.

“The typical wage of a classroom trainer is £39,000. That’s the classroom trainer. You get a bit extra in London, a bit extra in outer London, however that’s the typical throughout the nation,” Keegan mentioned.

She additionally mentioned her 23-year-old cousin had began educating, and earned a wage of £28,000 whereas nonetheless dwelling along with her mother and father in Knowsley within the north west.

Keegan claims common head earns £95k

Keegan insisted that “the truth is it’s a great profession. It’s in all probability within the prime 10 per cent of earners in some elements of the nation. In fact there’s all the time issues you may say you may earn more cash doing varied careers. We all know that.”

However even in Knowsley, a wage of £28,000 is below-average, and undoubtedly not within the prime 10 per cent of earnings. ONS information exhibits the realm had a median wage of £32,409 in 2021.

When pressed additional on low pay, Keegan doubled-down, stating that academics’ salaries have been “lots increased than the typical salaries throughout the nation”, and that “a median head is on £95,000”.

That is additionally incorrect. DfE workforce information exhibits the typical head earned £74,100 in 2021.

Shadow training secretary Bridget Phillipson referred to as Keegan’s feedback “staggeringly out-of-touch”, including she was “clearly complacent concerning the trainer recruitment and retention disaster taking place in our colleges”.

“Lecturers are leaving the career in droves as a result of they’re overworked and underappreciated by this Conservative authorities, whereas potential new recruits are turning away from a profession in our lecture rooms.”

It comes on the identical day new ⁠analysis confirmed training employees had seen among the many lowest pay development of any trade over the previous decade.