Scottish education funding for more teachers to be made permanent

Temporary funding of £80 million that helped to recruit 1,400 teachers and 250 support staff is to be made permanent, the Scottish Government has announced.

From April 2022, the sum will be allocated annually to the local government settlement, which will allow local authorities to offer sustained employment of additional teachers and support staff, while meeting local needs and benefitting Scotland’s children and young people.

The funding is in addition to the £65.5 million permanent additional funding announced earlier this month for local authorities to recruit a further additional 1,000 teachers and 500 support staff. It will also be allocated annually from 2022 onwards.

Education secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Our priority for Covid education recovery is to ensure the highest quality of learning and teaching. Our schools have shouldered significant disruption as they tackle the unparalleled challenges presented by the coronavirus pandemic.

Schools in Scotland returned this week.

“This is why it is imperative that we do everything we can to support councils to recruit permanent teachers and support staff. This funding will provide local authorities with the certainty they need in order to plan their future permanent workforce requirements.”

Cosla spokesperson for resources, councillor Gail Macgregor, said: “I welcome this additional baselined funding that will support councils to better plan and resource for education recovery even better than they are already doing. The educational needs, as well as the health and wellbeing of our children and young people, are an absolute priority for all of us. Having the ability to recruit with greater certainty both teachers and support staff is a key element of how councils can ensure the delivery of the most effective experience for all.

“As I have previously said, we do, however, look forward to continuing to work with Government to address broader recruitment and retention needs that councils are facing so that we can continue to deliver the highest all-round quality of education to all.”

Many Scottish children returned to the classroom this week for the start of the new school term. The Scottish Government has committed to to recruit 3,500 additional teachers and pupil support assistants over the course of this Parliament.

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