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NEWS


 


 


Scotland Annual Conference


 


NASUWT members gathered in Edinburgh for the Union’s Scotland Annual Conference to debate motions on issues including qualification reform, workload and IT provision in schools. For the full report go to www.nasuwt.org.uk/ScotlandConference2014.





 


New President condemns attacks on teachers


 


Teachers must continue the fight to defend their professionalism in the face of escalating attacks on their conditions of service, the new NASUWT Scotland President has said.


 


Laurie Connal [right], a music teacher from Fife, condemned the “relentless” attacks on teachers’ pay, working conditions and professionalism through the “break-neck” implementation of Curriculum for Excellence, the “unnecessarily bureaucratic” processes associated with the introduction of the new National Qualifications and the “dramatic” increases in teachers’ pension contributions.


 


He said: “These are times of relentless attacks on teachers and the teaching profession, on education and other public services and on ordinary working people.


 


“These are times in which pension contributions are dramatically increased and the retirement age threshold extended – whilst at the same time, in some subjects, class sizes are being increased.


 


“We in the NASUWT are the only union proactively continuing to press for better pay and conditions of service and pensions through our engagement with the Scottish Government.”


 


 


‘Shambolic’ qualifications implementation condemned


 


The implementation of the new National Qualifications was condemned as ‘shambolic’ by representatives at the Conference.


 


The Scottish Government must urgently undertake an investigation into the introduction of the new qualifications system by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), representatives argued, saying that its handling of the reforms has let down teachers and seriously disadvantaged young people preparing for their exams.


 


Moving the motion, Fiona Rowland [above] from the West Lothian Association, told the Conference that the under-resourced and under- pressure SQA has rushed through the reforms without the appropriate time, support and resources in place for schools and teachers to successfully implement the changes.


 


“Be in no doubt that the hoped-for success of these qualifications this summer will be down to the heroism, dedication, commitment and common sense of our teaching profession, because they will not stand back and see their pupils fail,” she said.








Workload stress burgeoning


 


Teachers in Scotland are increasingly exposed to excessive workload and exploitation and members were encouraged to continue to resist the downward spiral, Conference heard.


 


Participants heard about the NASUWT’s dismay at the Scottish Government’s erosion of key provisions of the 2001 ‘A Teaching Profession for the 21st Century’ agreement which had recognised the importance of a national pay and conditions framework.


 


This has led, Conference heard, amongst other things, to the failure to protect teachers from burgeoning workload stress which, according to a recent NASUWT survey, is the biggest concern of teachers in Scotland today.


 


Conference endorsed the need to continue with constructive engagement with Scottish Government and for members to remain committed to continuing national industrial action with a specific emphasis on adhering to the 35-hour week and only to conduct work necessary for pedagogy.








Other motions debated during the Conference:


 


Pay/terms and conditions framework in Scotland;


Education cuts;


Pensions;


Qualified teacher provision in nurseries;


Reduction of senior and middle management posts in Scottish schools;


Local authority rationalisation;


Impact of private sector funding on teachers’ pay.


 


read more www.nasuwt.org.uk/ScotlandConference2014


 


 

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