Nira's Story

Nira, 27, from Salford wanted to become a teacher to help young people in one of England's most deprived areas. She had the qualifications and passion, but hit a wall when the Department for Education slashed teacher training bursaries for critical shortage subjects in the North West. The classrooms were there, graduates ready to teach were there, but Westminster's spending rules forced departments to compete for fixed pots of money as though the government that creates the currency must first find it somewhere else. This is the story of how Treasury orthodoxy blocks the connection between willing workers and desperately needed public service roles. Disclosure: This podcast advocates for investment in public services and challenges conventional fiscal policy.