New measures have been outlined by Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP as part of the SNP Government’s unyielding commitment to closing the attainment gap and making Scotland the best place in the world to grow up.
Measures to ensure that teacher and pupil support staff numbers as well as school hours are protected have been announced as the SNP Government has also committed to increasing teacher numbers by 3,500 during this Parliament.
Local authorities receive funding to protect the pupil-teacher ratio, teacher numbers and provide places for all probationers who need one.
Additional annual funding of £145.5 million is being provided to maintain teacher and support staff numbers. In the year ahead (2023/24), if this is not delivered by a local authority, the SNP Government will withhold or recoup funding allocated for these purposes.
Regulations will also be introduced under legislation passed by the Scottish Parliament in 2016 to enshrine a statutory minimum number of school hours.
Kenneth Gibson MSP commented:
“The SNP Government has a clear commitment to improving education – and maintaining both teacher and support staff numbers and learning hours is crucial to that.
“There are currently 1,422 teachers in North Ayrshire, compared to 1,333 ten years go.
“Scottish teachers are already the best paid in the UK and under the SNP Government’s pay offer, a fully qualified teacher in Scotland would receive £35,650 – over £7,500 more than their counterparts in England.
“Overall, this would represent a cumulative pay increase for the majority of teachers of 21.8% since 2018.”
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