Your promise was to dump student debt, not double it Swinney feels heat over damning figures

THE SNP’s education headaches worsened yesterday as they were accused of breaking a promise to students and neglecting teachers’ pay.

Damning figures show student debt has nearly doubled since the party came to power a decade ago, with the average loan balance increasing from about £6000 in 2007 to £11,470 last year.

The SNP had promised to “dump the debt” when they were in opposition but promptly ditched the pledge after forming a government.

Meanwhile, it emerged teachers are nearly £6000 a year out of pocket because of below-inflation pay rises.

A classroom teacher at the top end of the salary scale was on £35,763 last year.

But analysis by Holyrood researchers showed if pay had increased by the average yearly inflation of 2.9 per cent since 2003, the same teachers would be on £41,652.

The figures led to claims that the SNP aren’t doing enough to boost salaries for teachers, who are threatening industrial action over pay.

Scottish Labour pounced on both sets of figures yesterday as John Swinney set out his plans to shake up school governance.

Labour leader Kezia Dugdale told the Education Secretary overworked school staff are saying “enough is enough”.

She added: “There is a recruitment crisis with hundreds of vacancies.

“And new figures reveal that some teachers are receiving up to £6000 less than they should if their pay had risen in line with inflation.”

Labour said student debt levels should “shame” Swinney, adding that he was no better than Nick Clegg at keeping promises to students.

The former Lib Dem leader famously promised there would be no tuition fees in England, then imposed them while in coalition with the Tories.

The SNP Government, who maintain their commitment to fee-free tuition, said Scottish student debt is the lowest in the UK “by a considerable amount”.

Responding to teacher pay concerns, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon added: “What we will continue to do is what we are doing – investing with local authorities to ensure that we maintain teacher numbers; putting more resources into the hands of headteachers to equip them to better respond to challenges they face in schools.”

The proposals Swinney announced at Holyrood include giving headteachers the power to choose staff and management, as well more control of the curriculum.

He said: “We will free our teachers to teach. We will put new powers in the hands of our headteachers. We will ensure that parents, families and communities play a bigger role in school life and in their children’s learning.”