Time running out to deliver promise to reduce teacher workload, EIS warns

Time is running out for the Scottish Government and Cosla to deliver on its commitment to address high teacher workload, the country’s largest teaching union has warned.

The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) sounded the alarm on the “slower than glacial” pace of progress as schools began to return from the summer break.

It called on ministers to keep to their promise to reduce class contact time for teachers.

The union is already running a consultative ballot on industrial action over this issue, which will close at the end of the month.

A pledge to cut down class contact time was included in the SNP’s 2021 Scottish Parliament election manifesto.

But the EIS said that despite the next election being less than a year away, teachers feel there has been no tangible progress towards delivery.

Since the pledge was made, the progress towards delivery of this commitment by the Scottish Government and Cosla has been slower than glacial

General secretary Andrea Bradley said: “With the new term having started in most schools across Scotland, we are now in the fifth school year since the promise was made to address severe teacher workload by reducing teachers’ class contact time.

“Since the pledge was made, the progress towards delivery of this commitment by the Scottish Government and Cosla has been slower than glacial.

“Whilst the Scottish Government has made funds available to local authorities on the joint agreement that there would be collaboration towards implementing the 21 hours commitment, no progress been made on delivery.

“Eight months since that agreement, we are still awaiting proposals to be put on the table as to precisely how and when this promise to teachers, pupils and the Scottish electorate will be kept.”

Ms Bradley said the union’s consultative ballot for industrial action was a “direct result of inaction” that has seen workload in schools “soar”.

“This simply isn’t sustainable,” she said, “and is having a severe and detrimental impact on teachers’ physical and mental wellbeing, with potentially long-term consequences for their health.

“The Scottish Government and Cosla have run out of time, after years of stalling and obfuscation. They must now produce their plan for delivery of this commitment, then they must move at a rapid pace to actually deliver it.

“In the meantime, I would urge every EIS member who is eligible to use their vote in our Workload ballot before it closes later this month.

“A very strong and very clear result in this consultative ballot will send a message that the Scottish Government and Cosla cannot ignore.”

We are working with unions and Cosla to agree our approach to reducing class contact time.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government is clear that reducing class contact time will help address critical concerns around teacher workload, thereby creating the space to drive improvement and reform in our schools and improve outcomes for pupils.

“We are working with unions and Cosla to agree our approach to reducing class contact time.

“We are also providing local authorities with increased funding of £186.5 million to restore teacher numbers, alongside an additional £28 million to support the recruitment and retention of the ASN workforce”

A Cosla spokesperson added: “We are continuing to engage closely with the Scottish Government and Trade Unions on reducing class contact time, including around practical delivery considerations and costs.

“We are clear that this commitment must be fully funded by the Scottish Government, otherwise we risk Councils being forced to cut to other key services that support the wellbeing of pupils, particularly pupils with additional support needs.”