WENDY SLAMS OUTRAGEOUS WASTE OF TEACHER TALENT

Paisley North MSP, Wendy Alexander is appalled at the lack of jobs for probationary teachers this year.

 Student teachers are guaranteed a year’s paid probation when they graduate from teaching courses. But the figures published in the last week show how after that year most of them are effectively on the scrapheap.

Of the 32 Councils Scottish only Renfrewshire is listed as having permanently employed NONE of its 172 teachers who have just completed their probationer year.

Analysis of 11 councils in the West of Scotland showed that they jointly took on only 209 teachers of the 1,687 who completed their probationary ear in their schools.

Wendy “I am angry at the horrendous waste of excellent talent. There can be no more serious indictment of the Scottish Government’s education record than unemployed teachers. These teachers will be forced to look abroad – countries like Australia and Canada will benefit from the cream of Scottish teaching talent to the detriment of Scottish education.

“The SNP government promised to deliver lower class sizes. Instead, they are actively driving teachers away from the profession by denying them the prospect of a job at the end of their training

“Here in Renfrewshire the statistics speak for themselves and reinforce the case I have been warning of. The problems have begun – you cannot take £4.5 million away from the Education budget and not feel the effect. Next year the intended figure is a staggering £6 plus million. I intend to fight this all the way.

“The buck stops with Renfrewshire Council. They will need to answer to parents if such a tight budget means no money to employ extra teachers thus maximum class sizes and subject choice cuts for senior pupils.”