Created on: 22 Dec 2023
The EIS has called on the Scottish Government and local authorities to make a firm New Year’s Resolution to Stand Up for Quality Education in 2024.
The EIS is campaigning for enhanced funding for Scottish education and more resources for schools to allow them to meet the needs of all young people across the country.
Commenting, EIS General Secretary Andrea Bradley said, "The EIS launched its Stand Up for Quality Education campaign earlier this year, calling for better funding and more resources for our schools.
"We will continue to press on our campaign priorities in the year ahead, calling on the Scottish Government and local authorities to provide our schools with the resources they need to deliver for Scotland’s young people.
"With a General Election set to be held within the next year, the EIS will be pressing all political parties to make firm commitments on how they will navigate existing constitutional arrangements to provide a better deal for Scottish education, its learners and its teaching professionals."
Ms Bradley continued, "The recent Scottish budget did not deliver much that was new for Scottish education and actually included some cuts to pupil health and wellbeing and to support for care experienced young people. This will only serve to exacerbate existing challenges.
"Most of the funding that was pledged had been previously announced, and there was no significant additional funding for schools to reduce class sizes and bring in many more teachers at a time when more resources are urgently needed to enable education recovery, provide appropriate support for the ever-increasing number of young people with additional support needs, stem the rising tide of violent and aggressive behaviours in our schools, and to deliver Scottish Government promises on reducing class-contact time to help lighten the excessive workload burdens on our teachers."
Ms Bradley added, "While education is a devolved issue, the EIS will be placing enhanced support for education as a vital public service at the centre of our campaigning work in the run up to the General Election. Public services, including our education system have been squeezed for many years, with deep cuts to funding, resources, and staffing levels.
"This must be reversed to deliver an education system that can meet the needs of all our young people. The pupils in our schools today are the citizens and workforce of tomorrow, and we must invest in their education.
"Investing in schools is investing in our young people and in the future of our country – and we will be reminding local and national government, and all political parties, of their obligations to support Scottish education, and the young people, and ultimately, our whole society, that it serves."
Audio Clip: EIS General Secretary, Andrea Bradley