Greer concerned as General Teaching Council approves fast-tracking into school system
Ross Greer MSP, Education spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, today (11 July) expressed concern after the General Teaching Council of Scotland approved a course which fast-tracks teachers into the school system after a year, six months earlier than usual.
Ross Greer said:
“The Scottish Government’s plan to fast-track new staff into the classroom fails to address the core problems facing Scottish education and risks making matters worse. Existing teachers who are already overstretched by spiralling workloads and staff cuts will now have to devote more time to assisting unqualified trainees rushed into the classroom.
"The high teaching standards that currently characterise Scottish education could be diluted and research on similar schemes using 'Teach-First' in England shows that this fast-track approach has amongst the lowest long-term retention rates, making it unlikely that this scheme will adequately address the current shortage of teachers.
“Teachers, parents, pupils, and education experts were clear on the problems facing Scottish schools, most recently when they responded to the Government’s consultation on education governance. It is budget cuts that have led to thousands of teaching and support staff disappearing over the last decade, an ever-increasing and complex workload and the pay freeze which has meant years of real terms pay cuts.
"The Scottish Government must act on this and bring forward a budget that secures the long-term investment that our schools so desperately need.”