HUNDREDS of teachers in Bolton were among the first in the country to stage a one-day strike over pay, pensions and conditions.

The majority of the borough’s schools were closed because of the industrial action.

More than 100 teachers from Bolton — members of the National Union of Teachers and the NASUWT, National Association of Schoolmasters and Women Teachers — joined 4,000 plus colleagues from across Greater Manchester to march through the city centre in protest of what they say is Education Secretary’s Michael Gove’s “attack on education”.

They were supported by members of Bolton’s Unison Branch and retired teachers.

Waving flags and carrying a banner bearing the words “our child’s future” they gathered in the Cathedral Gardens before marching to Piccadilly Gardens for a mass rally.

They chanted “Gove out” and “fight back” as the demonstration snaked through the city centre roads.

About 800 teachers went inside the Piccadilly Hotel to be addressed by the Christine Blower, the General Secretary of the NUT.

Liz Forrest, music teacher and public relations for the Bolton Association of the NASUWT, said: “This is the biggest attack on education in its history.

“If parents realise that their children could be taught by non-qualified people then they would be opposed to what is happening as we are.

She added: “The teachers who marched are not political activists, they are here for education and are concerned about young people entering the profession and their future.

“This has been a very important show of solidarity, the two unions represent 90 per cent of all teachers, and we are standing up for education.”

Retired Bolton teacher Mike Greenhalgh, who taught at Smithills School, said: “Teaching is about co-operation and what Gove is doing is introducing competition between teachers — and the problem is that this could stop teachers from helping others because when it comes to pay appraisals that teacher will get a wage increase and others will drop because there is no more money coming in.”

Don Grant, head of science at St James’ CE School in Farnworth, added: “It is a hard decision to go on strike, nobody wants to do it, but if we don’t do it now then we will never do it.

“It is ludicrous that on one hand Gove wants the very best to become teachers and then he will allow non-qualified people to teach.

“Do you want to your kids to be taught by teachers who are 68-years-old. Gove can stop this by talking to us.”

Julia Simpkins, secretary of the Bolton NUT, said: “We have had a really good turnout and all we are asking for Gove to enter into meaningful talks with us.

“Teachers are aware how to raise standards. Gove wants to reduce classroom assistants, that will have a knock on effect on children on lower ability who will not have support of a teaching assistant.”

Teachers said they just wanted to be treated fairly.

Steve Harrold, teacher at Queensbridge Primary School, said: “Children deserve the best, many people come into the profession because they are devoted to teaching whatever the pay and they deserve to be treated fairly, it is a hard work physically and emotionally.”

Modern languages teacher at Bolton St Catherine’s Academy, Phil Roberts, added: “The government has their own agenda, to privatise all public services and make money for their friends. That is there only agenda.”

Karen Hopwood, National Executive Member of the NASUWT for Bolton, warned that the state education system would be destroyed if the government did not listen.

She said: “There will be “con demolition” of state education if the government does not listen.

“Gove will not recognise what he is attacking is an education system which was second in the world. He talks about Sweden’s education system, but their free schools have gone bankrupt.

“We are asking if the pensions are in crisis — show us the figures, he will not.

“Gove is placing the profession in crisis and he needs to sit down and talk to us and listen.”