Created on: 06 Jun 2024
The outgoing President of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) has used her keynote address at the EIS Annual General Meeting in Dundee to make an impassioned plea on behalf of Scottish education, its learners and teaching professionals.
Addressing delegates in Dundee Caird Hall this afternoon, Paula McEwan – a primary teacher from Inverclyde – urged local authorities and the Scottish Government to make greater support for and investment in education provision their top priority.
“Education is key to so many things but without appropriate levels of targeted ringfenced, transparently allocated and spent funding, how can we possibly get it right for every child?” asked Ms McEwan.
She went on to add, “The First Minister needs to recognise that investment in Education across all its spheres will bring a saving in the longer term.
“Investment in Education now, and that includes in Further Education, eases pressure on the health service, on the justice service, on adult social care and on so much more in the longer term.
“Education will lift adults and their children out of poverty, will boost the economy and will allow our population to thrive.”
Ms McEwan later went on to say, “it is a pity that the Cabinet Secretary could not come here, stand in front of the representatives of almost 65,000 teachers and defend the Scottish Government’s record on Education.
“In 2021, we were told to judge the government on education, and we really would, if only they would give us something to judge.
“Colleagues, it’s not good enough.
“Our children and young people deserve better, our schools deserve better, and our members deserve better.
“We need action and we need it now.”
Ms McEwan signed off her speech with a reference to a primary school show she had the pleasure of visiting during her Presidential year, as she pledged to continue campaigning for Scottish education: “As I make the move to ex-President, please don’t think I will go gently into the good night...in the words and actions of P1 from Royston – ‘You’re going to hear me roar’”.