Drastic cuts to education in Scotland must be reversed if schools are to meet the needs of pupils, ministers have been told.
The EIS, Scotland’s biggest teaching union, says more teachers and resources are “urgently needed”, yet is concerned that the Budget earlier this month suggested education funding was going in the opposite direction.
EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley said: “Public services, including our education system, have been squeezed for many years, with deep cuts to funding, resources and staffing levels. This must be reversed to deliver an education system that can meet the needs of all our young people.
“The pupils in our schools today are the citizens and workforce of tomorrow, and we must invest in their education.”
The Budget on 19 December contained few surprises when it came to education.
Ms Bradley said: “The recent Scottish Budget did not deliver much that was new for Scottish education and actually included some cuts to pupil health and wellbeing and to support for care-experienced young people. This will only serve to exacerbate existing challenges.”
She added: “Most of the funding that was pledged had been previously announced.
“There was no significant additional funding for schools to reduce class sizes and bring in many more teachers at a time when more resources are urgently needed to enable education recovery, provide appropriate support for the ever-increasing number of young people with additional support needs, stem the rising tide of violent and aggressive behaviours in our schools and to deliver Scottish government promises on reducing class-contact time to help lighten the excessive workload burdens on our teachers.”
Although education is devolved, the EIS still sees the expected 2024 general election as an impetus towards a better deal for education in Scotland, and aims to campaign heavily in the run-up to the vote.
Ms Bradley said: “The EIS launched its Stand Up for Quality Education campaign earlier this year, calling for better funding and more resources for our schools.
“We will continue to press on our campaign priorities in the year ahead, calling on the Scottish government and local authorities to provide our schools with the resources they need to deliver for Scotland’s young people.”
A spokesperson for local authorities body Cosla said: “Councils know that learning is not all about what happens in a classroom. Children and young people need to arrive in schools well and ready to learn, and they can’t do that if they don’t have the right support at home or in their communities.
“Cosla asked Scottish Ggovernment to ensure that this year’s Budget focused prioritised the key work of councils in of local prevention and early support work. It did not do this. The essential supports councils provide every day in schools, community hubs, and directly to families in their homes are now under threat.”
The spokesperson added: “For too long now, the financial settlement for local government has meant that councils have had to cut spend on services which support children and young people to learn, for example in youth work, community development, social work support and breakfast clubs.
“The Scottish Budget proposed does nothing to support the health and wellbeing, and readiness to learn of our youngest citizens.”
