Created on: 12 Dec 2023 | Last modified: 13 Dec 2023
Commenting on the publication of this year’s Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence levels (ACEL) data by the Scottish Government, EIS General Secretary Andrea Bradley said:
“The high levels of achievement by Scotland’s pupils in this year’s ACEL data are a testament to the continuing hard work of Scotland’s young people and the teaching staff in our schools.
"It is even more impressive that they have collectively achieved these levels despite the extremely challenging circumstances in which our schools continue to operate. Inadequate funding of our education system, over many years, has left our schools under-resourced and under-staffed.
"The Scottish Government has previously pledged to employ 3,500 additional teachers to ease the load on over-burdened teachers, and to enhance the educational experience of pupils in our schools.
"We are still waiting for this to be delivered – and imagine how much more could be achieved if the Scottish Government keeps its promise.”
Ms Bradley continued, “The poverty-related attainment gap still persists, damaging the educational and life chances of far too many young people across Scotland. With around 1 child in 4 living in deprivation across Scotland, facing poverty and hunger and all the challenges that these experiences bring on a daily basis, we need increased resources in schools to allow all young people to be supported properly.
"Deploying additional staff, including the additional teachers previously promised by the Scottish Government, and reducing class sizes would provide an enhanced learning environment for all young people while helping to address the challenge of the poverty-related attainment gap.”
Ms Bradley added, “The EIS recently launched its Stand up for Quality Education campaign, to press government for increased funding and additional resources for Scotland’s schools.
"Teachers have also been promised a reduction in their class contact time, to bring them more in line with colleagues in other countries and to lighten their current excessive workload burdens, but there has been no progress at all on the delivery of that Scottish Government commitment.
"The documented significant increase in violent and abusive behaviour in our schools, together with the huge increase in the number of young people with identified Additional Support Needs, are also issues that can only be addressed successfully with increased investment and additional resources – including more teachers and more support staff – in Scotland’s schools."