Leader: Two schools of thought which don’t add up

The McCormac review of teacher employment in Scotland has polarised opinion over what we should expect from those charged with the vital task of educating Scotland’s young people. Both sides of the argument were represented yesterday at Holyrood’s education committee.

Teachers’ representatives, led by the Educational Institute of Scotland, told MSPs that McCormac had disregarded the issue of workload, which could result in more clock-watching for those at the “chalk face”.

The Association of Directors of Education in Scotland claimed the review would encourage a “culture shift” among teachers, with the councils’ umbrella organisation Cosla saying the flexibility outlined in the report would improve educational attainment for children.

Self-evidently, both cannot be correct. In deciding who is right we must go back to the previous review, the so-called McCrone deal on teachers’ pay which resulted in an increase of more than 20 per cent of salary a decade ago.

The flaw was that while teachers deserved a substantial pay rise, the then Scottish Executive did not nail down flexibility in return. In fact, it conceded conditions which, on paper at least, set teachers strict inflexible rules.

Teachers feel under pressure, but compared with most professions they have generous conditions, including long holidays, and secure employment. No-one says teaching is easy, and most teachers work extremely hard. However, it is time for teachers to acknowledge they must move with the times.