A TEACHERS’ union slammed the government’s pledge to increase school funding as “empty promises” today in light of years of education cuts.

In a survey of 670 National Education Union (NEU) members, 47 per cent of teachers said that their schools or colleges were not fit for purpose — with 65 per cent putting this down to cuts.

The NEU released the survey results after the Department for Education announced a £400 million investment for school repairs which only applies to academies and sixth form colleges.

NEU joint general secretary Kevin Courtney said: “Promises, and not just empty ones, need to be made by political parties as to how this will be resolved.

“It is quite intolerable that schools and colleges are having to forego building repairs and maintenance for years due to a lack of funding.”

21 per cent of teachers surveyed said that parts or all of the schools they work in have had to be closed because of disrepair over the past five years.