Tariq's Story

In East Ham, one of London's most deprived constituencies, Tariq's dream of becoming a teacher hit a wall created in Whitehall. At 26, he had the passion and qualifications needed to teach in London schools crying out for staff. But HM Treasury's spending rules forced the Department for Education to cut teacher training bursaries for subjects with critical shortages, treating the government as though it must find money rather than create it. The classrooms existed, willing graduates existed, but Westminster chose not to connect them. This episode explores how central government funding decisions block talented people from entering public service when communities need them most. Contains strong language and references to financial stress.