Scale of teacher crisis laid bare as school waits years for replacement
Scottish Liberal Democrats data reveals over 1,350 teaching posts in Scotland were readvertised in the last two years, including a primary school teacher position on Papa Westray, Orkney, vacant since March 2019.
Moray Council readvertised 252 teaching roles, Aberdeen 206, Shetland 90, Argyll and Bute 70, Highland Council 62, and Dumfries and Galloway 61.
Western Isles Council advertised a PE teacher role nine times, while a home economics teacher post in Aberdeen was advertised six times.
Lib Dem education spokesman Willie Rennie calls for action to make teaching more attractive, suggesting three-year packages for probationer teachers and teacher premiums for those in schools with the greatest need.
Cosla acknowledges recruitment challenges in remote areas and specific subjects, while the Scottish Government highlights increased teacher numbers and ongoing efforts to support the profession, including £186.5 million in funding for councils to increase teacher numbers.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Courier
an hour ago
- The Courier
What Stirling councillors claimed on expenses last year
Stirling's elected councillors collectively claimed around £12,500 in expenses during the 2024-25 financial year, it has been revealed. Stirling Council published its latest annual statement of members' allowances and expenses today, June 9. Overall, was claimed for travel and telecommunications expenses. The majority went on car and bicycle mileage, coming to . This figure was divided between six councillors, out of a total of 26. These were as follows: The other 20 council members claimed no travel expenses. Eighteen councillors had their telephone and ICT costs paid for by Stirling Council, adding up to for the year. Most spent around £80 each on this expense. Four members – Neil Benny, Bryan Flannagan, Jim Thomson and David Wilson – claimed no expenses at all from the council. A saving of £2,384.81 was made on councillor expenses in 2024-25 compared to 2023-24, when the total came to £14,882.92. Again, the six councillors listed above were the only ones to claim back money for car and bicycle mileage. The majority of the six spent less on travel during 2024-25 than the year before, aside from council leader Gerry McGarvey and Lord Provost Elaine Watterson. Mr McGarvey claimed £607.50 more, and Ms Watterson £237.88 more. The council leader received a salary increase of more than £14,000 from April 1, as per newly amended Scotland-wide regulations. All Stirling councillors were awarded a pay rise earlier this year, though some objected to it and pledged to donate the money.
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Winter fuel U-turn should have come a long time ago, Reeves told
The decision to reinstate the winter fuel payment should have been made 'a long time ago', Scotland's Social Justice Secretary has said. Chancellor Rachel Reeves said on Monday that nine million pensioners will be in receipt of the payment this year after a cut was announced in the first weeks of the Labour Government last summer. The initial decision was met with heavy backlash and forced the Scottish Government to delay the implementation of its own devolved benefit. John Swinney's administration later announced a similar payment for pensioners which would be tapered and see those on the highest incomes receiving £100, compared to £305.10 for those on the least. Monday's announcement will result in cash being sent to the devolved administration at Holyrood, and Scottish Labour has urged the Government to increase its payments. But Scotland's Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said the decision was 'a betrayal' of pensioners. 'I welcome any extension of eligibility by the UK Government, but this is a U-turn the Chancellor should have made a long time ago,' she said. 'But there is still no detail about how the Chancellor intends to go about that. Unfortunately, it still sounds as if many pensioners will miss out.' Ms Somerville added that the Scottish Government had not been consulted on the decision and urged UK ministers to 'ensure the Scottish Government is fully appraised of the proposed changes as soon as possible'. 'The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government wrote to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury last week to urge the UK Government to share its plans with us as quickly as possible, so that we can understand any implications for our own programmes and, crucially, our budget,' she said. Scottish Labour MSP Paul O'Kane said: 'The winter fuel payment is a devolved payment in Scotland and Scottish Labour has long been clear that we want to see it reinstated for the majority of pensioners up here – but despite their loud spin, the SNP voted against our attempts to do so. 'The SNP must not go ahead with plans that would rob poorer pensioners in order to fund payments for millionaires. 'The SNP must re-examine their own proposals in light of this game-changing announcement, ensure payments reach those most in need, and give a cast-iron guarantee that no struggling Scottish pensioners will be left out of pocket under their plans.' The Scottish Government's plans were initially to provide a universal payment to pensioners, but the proposals were scuppered by the Chancellor's announcement of the cut last summer, forcing ministers to create a different system for this winter.
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Aberdeenshire nursery parents win review but concerns remain
Aberdeenshire Council has agreed to pause the mothballing of four rural were told in April that Ballogie, Crossroads, Glass and Sandhaven nurseries would close at the end of have now agreed to put those decisions on hold while it reviews its guidance around how it consults with have welcomed the move, but said they had lost confidence in the local authority. At a special meeting of the full council, councillors agreed to pause all future mothballing - which means closing premises but keeping them in a condition ready for future use - while a review of guidance was carried the meeting, councillors on the local authority's ruling administration decided not to allow members of the public to give their and parent Lindsay Love told BBC Scotland News: ''We all came hoping to speak on behalf of our communities and we were silenced.'''She said she had mixed emotions about the decision to pause Love said: ''I'm nervous that they are actually going to move forward with integrity. I feel like they're trying to control the narrative now. "We just need to make sure that we're protecting our nurseries and our rural communities as best as we can."She added: "Whilst is it a good thing that they've decided to pause the mothballing, I don't have a huge amount of confidence in them as an institution to do the right thing.'' Council leader Gillian Owen said the council had carefully reflected on what parents had been calling timescale was given for the Owen said: ''I think we're looking at doing a review quite swiftly but we've got to wait for the Scottish government guidelines.''She denied families had been "silenced" by not being allowed to speak at the councillor added: "We've actually made the changes that they want.''They must look at that as an actual celebration, not as a slight.''When the move to mothball the nurseries was announced at the start of the Easter school holidays, it sparked a backlash from local then, families have been campaigning to keep them open, arguing the decision was made without proper Scottish government also wrote to Aberdeenshire Council to highlight the need to consult parents in such week, the local authority's ruling administration said it wanted to pause the controversial plans.
