Scots schools risk being left behind by other nations, teachers told
THE architect of a controversial education shake-up that has left teachers threatening to strike has warned Scottish children could be “left behind” unless his recommendations are implemented.
Professor Gerry McCormac’s report on teachers’ pay and conditions has been met with a mixed response since it was published in September.
Earlier this month, Scotland’s largest teaching union, the Educational Institute for Scotland (EIS), said its members would strike if recommendations were imposed on teachers against their will.
But Prof McCormac, the principal of Stirling University, has defended his report, saying the proposals are for “sensible working arrangements”.
The report called for more flexibility in the way teachers approach their jobs after concluding that the current system is “overly prescriptive and inherently inflexible”.
As well as recommending an end to the focus on reducing class sizes, the report suggested the controversial introduction of “external experts” to aid teachers, and scrapping the system of chartered teachers.
It also recommended scrapping some of the measures introduced a decade ago in the McCrone Agreement, including lists of duties, such as photocopying, that teachers are not expected to carry out.
Prof McCormac said implementing his recommendations would help arrest a slide which has seen Scotland fall behind its international competitors.
Until last year, Scotland had been dropping down the PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) rankings, which compare educational attainment internationally. Last year saw a slight improvement.
Prof McCormac added: “If these recommendations weren’t adopted [we] would be [left with] practice as we currently experience it.
“I think if you look at the PISA data Scotland has been standing still within that, not moving ahead at the rate other countries have been moving ahead.
“So we’re looking at things that will improve outcomes and I think the risk is if we don’t continually review and update what it is we do, the outcomes won’t improve for children and indeed we will be left behind.”
Prof McCormac’s report recommended no changes be made to the 35-hour week, but said that flexibility should be encouraged to allow teachers to undertake “effective collegiate work”.
The report said teachers should stay on school premises during the school day, and although no changes should be made to salaries in the short term, they should remain at a level that “ensures teaching is an attractive career choice”.
Prof McCormac added: “A teacher is paid to be a teacher and that should be their primary function.
“There is no sense that we are encouraging teachers to do the job of clerical staff or other support staff in the school.
“Their primary role is around teaching, but they shouldn’t also be saying, ‘Well I don’t do X and I don’t do Y and I don’t do Z’. They should be professional and that is what the report is encouraging.”
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Comments
There are 5 comments to this article
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Phil C
Wednesday, November 23, 2011 at 10:48 PMTo halt your wee squabble, the average pay for a teacher is a hefty £34k. Throw in 13 weeks holiday, a short working day, plenty paid free time between sessions, a monstrously generous pension when compared to others, and you have a very attractive package which is sadly unaffordable to those who pay the bills- the taxpayers. The same taxpayers who had their pensions 'adjusted' 15 years ago ...................................In return for their gold plated packages, teachers only have to agree to teach other peoples' spotty sproggs, but they can't even do that without disruption to those children whenever the going gets a bit tough. They are a category one disgrace!
samcoldstream
Wednesday, November 23, 2011 at 08:46 PMContrary to the fears expressed by Prof. McCormac, the student members of the Young Conservatives at St. Andrews University have shown they have a good grasp of geopolitical history and geography in burning a lifelike effigy of President Barack Obama wrapped in the European Union flag. No doubt the annual experience of dressing up a Guy and setting it alight on a bonfire has been very instructive for these Young Conservatives. I wonder if these Young Conservatives are also excellent at writing letters of abject apology?
davieboy144
Wednesday, November 23, 2011 at 12:00 AM2. "the average salary of a teacher with 15years experience is £48,611" Your link doesn't work but if it does I wouldn't believe the figures contained in the report. The top salary (after 6 years experience) of an un-promoted teacher in Scotland is a little over £34k. McCormac was is about cutting costs and nothing else.
Leisure_suit_Larry
Tuesday, November 22, 2011 at 09:48 PMWe pay then one of the highest salaries in the world and get very little out of them . The average salary for a teacher with 15 years experience is a whooping £48,611 [ source :OECD - http:tinyurl.comd4v55dp] , but the performance in reading, maths and sciences is below our competitors and worsening. We are now 20 th ,having been overtaken by the likes of Ireland,Poland and Estonia. [source OECD] - link : http:tinyurl.com2enpz2n So Mac Cormac is correct but he's up against far left unions and a Scottish exec who together collude in this conspiracy.
samcoldstream
Tuesday, November 22, 2011 at 12:52 PMA look at the table of world nations included in a recent OECD report on the expenditure and standard of education shows that ALL the UK nations provide an excellent education service. Some like Northern Ireland, provide a slightly better service than the other 3 Home Nations. The top nation: Finland, spends the largest proportion of its GDP on education as most other OECD countries, Finland spends three times as much on education as any of the UK nations. (Source: OECD)
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