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Teachers

Scotland's Teachers Prepare for Industrial Action Over Broken Education Pledges

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Scotland's education system is on the brink of collapse due to the government's failure to deliver key education pledges, including the recruitment of 3,500 additional teachers and reducing teachers' class contact time. The Education Institute (EIS) has decided to move ahead with an industrial action ballot, giving teachers the option to support strike action in an attempt to force the government to deliver on its promises.

The situation has escalated as the Scottish Government and local authorities have failed to materialize on their commitments to education, despite widespread support and welcome from the education community. The lack of progress on reducing teacher workload and class contact time has led to stress and burnout among educators, with many considering leaving the profession early or seeking early retirement. A ballot for industrial action will open in early June and close in the next school session, with the potential for strike action to disrupt schools in the run-up to the next Scottish Parliament elections in May.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Scottish Government failed to deliver on its manifesto pledge to recruit 3,500 additional teachers, with the number of teachers in Scotland actually decreasing by 873 from 54,285 in 2021 to 53,412 in 2024.
  • Scotland has some of the largest class sizes and class-teaching commitments across OECD nations, with teachers working, on average, more than 11 hours extra, unpaid, on top of their contractual hours each week.
  • The Scottish Government's failure to reduce teacher workload has led to stress and burnout among educators, with 40% of all pupils in Scotland now having an identified Additional Support Need.
  • The EIS has moved ahead with an industrial action ballot, giving teachers the option to support strike action in an attempt to force the government to deliver on its promises.
  • A dispute was declared over the failure to deliver the class contact time commitment, with further discussion bringing no tangible proposals to alleviate the issue.
  • With one hundred days gone since the dispute was declared, there are still no proposals on the table.

Statistics:

  • Scotland has 873 fewer teachers in 2024 than in 2021, a decrease of 1.6% in just three years.
  • The number of teachers in Scotland has fallen from 55,100 in 2007 to 53,412 in 2024, a decrease of 3.4% over 17 years.
  • Teachers in Scotland work, on average, more than 11 hours extra, unpaid, on top of their contractual hours each week.
  • 40% of all pupils in Scotland now have an identified Additional Support Need, necessitating enhanced teacher support and resources.

Sources:

  • [www.eis.org.uk](www.eis.org.uk)
  • [The EIS has decided that it will move ahead with an industrial action ballot]

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