Gillian Keegan will not address the annual conference of school and college leaders’ union ASCL next week, the organisation has announced, the first time an education secretary has missed the event in over 15 years.
The union announced today that Keegan, who was invited to speak at the Birmingham event next Friday, will not attend “because she hopes to be engaged in intensive talks at that time over the pay dispute which has led to industrial action by NEU members”.
However, no talks are currently scheduled, ASCL said.
It also comes following pleas from 360 school and college heads urging Keegan to delay controversial plans to withdraw funding from level 3 BTECs and applied general qualifications.
