Overwhelming support for work to rule, insist teachers

Published on Wednesday 23 June 2010 22:05

A BALLOT on industrial action over the new school curriculum closes tomorrow, with thousands of secondary teachers expected to support a work to rule over the controversial system.

The Scottish Secondary Teachers Association (SSTA) says education secretary Michael Russell has not met their demands for more information on the curriculum, due in all schools in August.

It comes as a senior education academic warned that the expected public service cuts could curtail the ambition of the system.

Ann Ballinger, general secretary of the SSTA, said: "Our members are overwhelmingly telling us that Curriculum for Excellence is not ready and their concern is causing them to consider industrial action."

The curriculum has already been delayed by a year after teachers previously raised concerns about a lack of investment and little time to prepare to introduce it.

Ms Ballinger added: "We want to wait until it is fixed – an extra year is meaningless. It is what you do with that year that matters."

The SSTA want to see more resources such as textbooks provided and further detail on individual secondary subjects, as well as more time for training.

At the union's annual congress in Peebles last month, delegates voted for a work to rule if Mr Russell did not provide the extra information by this month.

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If the ballot is successful, secondary teachers in the union could stick to the 35-hour week to which they are contracted.

Studies have suggested the overwhelming majority of teachers already work far more hours than that set down in the McCrone Teachers' Agreement.

The move would not result in teachers boycotting curriculum work, but would be likely to slow up introduction of the system.

Meanwhile, Professor Richard Edwards, of Stirling University's Institute of Education, said recent cuts to teacher numbers and less money for training could hamper the new curriculum's implementation in August.

He said: "To break from traditional subject boundaries is not easy and requires thought, imagination and commitment.

"It takes time to develop these things – time out of the classroom.

"There is already some concern about the aspirations of Curriculum for Excellence.

"The comprehensive spending review, even given our devolved status, will have an impact."

Mr Russell has announced a plan of action to support teachers in the new curriculum.

It has included extra in- service days for training, an extra 3 million and parts of the new curriculum being rewritten after the minister admitted some of it was not clear.

The curriculum has been plagued with criticisms that it is "woolly" and "vague", and teachers still do not know what it is actually about.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman last night said: "Dialogue between the Scottish Government and the SSTA is ongoing, and Mr Russell met recently with the union's general secretary.

"The education secretary has made it clear that he does not think industrial action is in the best interests of our pupils, parents or teachers.

"His advice would be for teachers to work with the range of support that already exists rather than disrupt the education of pupils and delay the much-needed improvements that we all agree are necessary.

"Our work will continue on the ten-point plan which has already put in place a number of measures to help drive the new curriculum forward."