Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Teacher numbers must increase
As the school year begins, it is clear there should be three priorities: pupils and staff need to be kept safe; education needs to continue so our young people are not disadvantaged; and that the fiasco over exam results isn’t repeated.
One of the ways to help both staff and pupils stay safe is for there to be smaller class sizes. To assist with this, experts, including the teachers’ unions, are calling for the recruitment of an additional 3500 teachers across Scotland.
I am supporting that call – and, importantly, for education authorities to be resourced to do so.
North Lanarkshire Labour council is to be congratulated as the first local authority in Scotland to offer all 195 newly qualified teachers a full- time contract. However, over the past decade, the cuts from the SNP Government has seen teacher numbers reduce by nearly 4000; many have indicated that in order to help, they would come out of retirement or return to teaching from other jobs.
So, all we are lacking are the resources. The government chose to cut teacher numbers; they can chose to replenish them to keep our young people and education staff safe.
Pupils across Scotland were devastated when their teacher’s recommendations were ignored in favour of an algorithm. This graded pupils not on their ability but rather on the previous results of the school.
Thankfully, after an outcry from pupils, parents and we in the Scottish Labour party, the Scottish Government u- turned and awarded the grades recommended by those that know the pupils best – their teachers.
Local SNP councillors were left redfaced with embarrassment after releasing a statement in support of the unfair system that had disadvantaged pupils in North Lanarkshire before the Scottish Government were forced into the biggest reversal since the Parliament was established more than 20 years ago.
I want to congratulate all the pupils on their well-merited grades and wish them well on their chosen paths.
In a matter of weeks the NHS transformed the way it worked in order to prepare for the possibility that services might become overwhelmed by Covid-19. It is extremely concerning that documents published by the Scottish Government highlight that it might take years for services to return to normal.
That could mean, for thousands of local patients, cancelled operations, delayed treatment and longer waiting lists. It is critical that services now return to pre-Covid-19 levels.
The Beatson, situated at Monklands Hospital, does amazing work and all the staff are to be commended for the care they provide to people.
I am deeply concerned, then, that, according to Scottish Government documents, cancer surgery will be reduced by 40 per cent for the next 24 months. This is on top of hundreds of thousands of cancer screening appointments being cancelled.
For many, this could be the difference between life and death. Cancer remains Scotland’s number one killer and we cannot continue to run a part time service.
I want to thank all of those working in the emergency and other services – many on a voluntary basis – who are supporting others during this pandemic. Please keep safe.