Ask a room full of children what they want to be when they grow up, and a couple of voices will always say “teacher”.
It’s a linchpin profession. It’s also one that we have relied on heavily for expertise and support in the past year and more during the Covid pandemic.
They worked flat out to give everyone the best education possible. They pulled together plans for remote learning, blended learning, in-person learning and everything in between.
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When schools return after the summer, children and young people will need their teachers more than ever. But if something doesn’t change, vast numbers won’t be able to help because they haven’t been given a job.
Covid: If we need more teachers, why are so many struggling to find jobs?
Thousands of qualified professionals ready to play their part in Scotland’s education recovery are scrabbling for temporary or zero-hours contracts. Many will find themselves without work come August.
I pointed out this problem to first minister Nicola Sturgeon months ago. I told her of the short-term and zero-hours contracts saturating what’s on offer. I told her about the many teachers thinking of leaving the profession as a result.
Her response? “I do not see why any teacher should be in that position.” And there lies the problem.
The Scottish government’s tactic so far has been to refuse all responsibility. It says recruitment isn’t in its remit. According to the first minister, and education secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville, that means this isn’t their problem.
Two successive education secretaries have refused to even reply to campaigners who wrote to them. But that line is wearing thin, because this crisis was born out of decisions made at the Cabinet table.
The funding structures set up by the government make it impossible to properly invest in teachers for the long term. Cuts to local authority budgets mean the temptation of centrally funded contracts for newly qualified teachers (NQTs) pushes those with more experience away. Too often, it pushes them out of the profession.
Temporary budgets, like the Pupil Equity Fund (PEF), plug some gaps. But that money shouldn’t have to prop up core school needs.
The money pressures are blatant. Nursery teachers decreased across Scotland by 39 per cent. Last year, all 80 in Edinburgh were moved into schools. They were replaced by less expensive alternatives.
Teaching is no longer a career path with reliable prospects. For those already qualified, the impact of that instability can be crushing. Those with the option are looking for work in other countries. Few could blame them.
In the context of everything we need to do for the education recovery, that loss of their experience and commitment will be devastating.
No teacher should have to struggle to make ends meet by cobbling together enough work under a zero-hours contract. No teacher should be left unemployed.
The Scottish government presided over this casualisation, but it is within the education secretary’s gift to make the problem go away. Permanent funding needs to be made available to generate more permanent positions.
Teachers need to be given the security they need to do their job. Without them, education’s recovery from Covid doesn’t stand a chance.
Willie Rennie is leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats. This week he announced that he would be standing down from the role after 10 years.
