Scotland teacher strikes: Pupils in key constituencies, including Nicola Sturgeon's Glasgow seat, face six extra strike days

​Children attending school in the constituencies of key politicians including Scotland's First Minister will face an extra six days of disruption to their education as teachers take "targeted" strike action.

Many schools in the five affected areas will be closed as the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) escalates industrial action in the long-running dispute over pay.

The union has singled out areas covered by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Deputy First Minister John Swinney, education secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville, Scottish Green education spokesman Ross Greer and Katie Hagmann, the resources spokeswoman for local authority body Cosla, for further action.

The EIS has announced three days of strike action in Glasgow Southside, Dunfermline, Perthshire North and the part of Clydebank and Milngavie constituency that lies within the East Dunbartonshire Council area between February 22 and 24.

EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley, joins members of the EIS and SSTA unions, on the picket line at St Andrew's and St Brides High School in South Lanarkshire. Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire

A further three days of strike action will take place in these areas, and also in Ms Hagmann's Mid Galloway and Wigtown West ward in Dumfries and Galloway between March 7 and 9.

The action will be on top of national strikes on February 28 and March 1 and another 20 days of rolling walkouts across Scotland's local authorities between March 13 and April 21.

EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley said: “These strike dates are targeted at key decision-makers with the ability to resolve the ongoing dispute over teachers’ pay. The announcement of targeted action has already drawn a long-awaited revised pay offer from the Scottish Government and local authority employers.

“While that offer was unacceptable, the EIS remains ready to engage in further talks with the Scottish Government and Cosla with a view to reaching a negotiated settlement that can end this dispute and thereby halt all planned strike action in schools.”

In Perth and Kinross, where Mr Swinney is MSP for Perthshire North, around 40 schools will be closed between February 22 and 24, with no decision yet announced for the March dates.

In the East Dunbartonshire council area which is part of Mr Greer's regional constituency, nine schools will be closed on both the February and March dates.

Glasgow City Council has written to parents in Ms Sturgeon's Glasgow Southside constituency to inform them schools in the area are being targeted, but that it is not yet known if they will have to close on those days.