EIGHTEEN schools borough-wide will shut today and more than 40 others will be partially closed during a national strike by teachers over pensions.

Latest information provided by Bury Council discloses that only 21 schools throughout Bury will remain open and unaffected by the industrial action.

Nationwide, up to 750,000 teachers, lecturers and other public sector workers are to strike over changes to their pensions, bringing chaos to millions of parents with school-age children.

The schools stoppage involves members of the NUT (National Union of Teachers) and ATL (Association of Teachers & Lecturers).

Helen Andrews, secretary of Bury NUT said: “Strike action is not a move that any teacher takes lightly. Educating pupils is the most important part of our working lives.

“We take action to protect the quality of education in Bury because if the Government’s proposals go through teaching will become a less attractive profession and, ultimately, pupils will suffer.”

The unions claim the Government proposes that teachers should pay 50 per cent more for their pensions, work longer up to the age of 68 and get a smaller pension. They also say the Government has already reduced every teachers’ pension pot by 15 per cent, reneging on pre-election promises to honour accrued benefits.

Gill Stainthorpe, secretary of Bury ATL, commented: “We are frustrated that after months of talks with ministers, Government looks determined to go ahead with their proposals, unaltered in any way.”