Teaching union calls for more support and smaller class sizes

SCOTLAND’S largest teaching union has called for the profession to be given more help with the country’s new curriculum and for class sizes to be reduced to 20 as part of its local election “manifesto”.

The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) said improved training for teachers and smaller class sizes were vital to the successful implementation of Curriculum for Excellence, which was introduced in 2010.

The union launched its manifesto today ahead of May’s local council elections.

It said professional development for teachers needed to be a “priority” for councils, while class sizes should be reduced, over time, to a maximum of 20.

It also repeated its calls for schools to be able to delay for a year the introduction of the new National qualifications, which will replace Standard Grades and Intermediates.

Commenting on the launch of the manifesto, EIS President Alan Munro said: “Local councils have responsibility for running schools in their own local authority areas.

“While national education policy is decided at Scottish Parliament level, it is local authority education departments who have the responsibility for implementing that policy in schools across Scotland. In this manifesto, the EIS sets out the priorities for supporting a high-quality education system across Scotland.”