PARENTS and members of the public are being invited to take part in an "education question time" event being held in Bolton this week.

Organised by Bolton TUC, the public will have the chance to quiz prospective parliamentary candidates and local councillors about the changes in education, particularly about free schools.

The event has been prompted by the growth of free schools in Bolton and across the country, organisers say.

Tom Hanley, from Bolton TUC, said: "There will be a focus on free schools.

"Not many people understand what free schools are about — there has been no proper discussion.

"If someone makes a persuasive argument — whatever that means — they will get funding to open a school.

"There can no longer be any rational planning in education.

"Local authorities are no longer able to open schools, they have to be free schools.

"There are questions about accountability — they are not accountable to the local authority, and they do not have to teach the national curriculum, into which teachers had a huge input."

He added: "They are having an impact on schools, with pupils leaving and going to them — and what happens if free schools don't work?"

Free schools are new schools set up by parents, teachers and charities in response to demand from the local community.

Bolton has a number of free schools — Essa Primary, The Olive Tree Primary and Eden Boys’ School.

The panel will be made up of Yasmin Qureshi, Labour candidate for Bolton South East; Kevin McKeown, Bolton Council's executive member for children's services; Laura Diggle, Green candidate for Bolton North East; Carol Swarbrick, Lib Dem councillor and ex-chairman of Bolton Education Committee; and Philippa Harvey, national president of the National Union of Teachers.

The public meeting will be at the lecture theatre in Bolton Central Library from 7pm to 9pm on Thursday, April 16.