Campaign gives voice to migrants.

Campaign gives voice to migrants Friday July 20, 2007 The Guardian 'Fears about the future of state-funded English language classes in England have sparked a campaign to challenge cuts, but teachers and students remain united by uncertainty Britain's state-funded Esol (English for Speakers of Other Languages) sector has been shaken by funding changes that will see many asylum seekers and low-paid migrants shut out of free English language classes in England. But teachers and students have responded with a passionate campaign to "Save Esol" that is giving new voice to a marginalised sector'. The Save Esol campaign is also getting support from the National Association for Teaching English and other Community Languages to Adults (Natecla). Its members have been lobbying their local MPs and in March Andrew Pelling, a Conservative MP for Croydon, south of London, led a debate in House of Commons on Esol on funding. Meanwhile Natecla's website urges the Save Esol campaign to "keep up the pressure". "The way forward is hard evidence on the impact on individuals and colleges. We need data about applicants who are unable to take up places because of costs and case study evidence," the website states. But Richard Surtees, membership secretary of Natecla's North Thames branch, is already concerned that a lack of coordination among London colleges over their course fees is likely to cause more confusion. He says some London colleges have a fixed fee for all students, others have means-tested fee scales, and some have flat enrolment and exam fees. Natecla activists interviewed during a break in their annual conference in London last week felt that one valuable product of their campaign has been the exposure it has given their Esol students to Britain's democratic processes. Over recent months students and teachers have participated in local demonstrations and lobbies in surprisingly large numbers.