TEACHING unions have warned that Kent schools are likely to press ahead with job cuts despite being told they can divert cash from maintenance budgets to stave off redundancies.

The Kent branch of the NUT said it had members in 30 schools who had been placed on notice of redundancy and expressed scepticism that job losses could be avoided.

Education Secretary Charles Clark has told schools they can use money for maintenance and repairs to save teaching jobs in what has been seen as a retreat in the continuing row over education funding. But the move has cut little ice with teaching unions and heads.

Peter Vokes of the Kent NUT said: “If schools are holding money for maintenance, that means the work needs to be done. The best that can be said is that the Government has more or less admitted there is a shortfall but it does not address the issue for future years.”

Mr Clark has rejected complaints that his announcement was a quick fix, which failed to address a longer term problem of under-funding.

KCC’s Cabinet member for education Cllr Paul Carter (Con) said the Government was expecting schools to “rob Peter to pay Paul". He stressed: “It is tantamount to an admission by the Secretary of State that there is not enough money in the system to fund schools properly."

Meanwhile, Kent County Council has confirmed that some centrally-based teaching staff who help pupils with learning difficulties are facing redundancy.

About 15 cognitive and learning teachers, who work at different schools with pupils with learning difficulties, could lose their jobs although some may be redeployed in other departments.