EIS backing campaign but raise workload concern

A leading teachers’ union in Scotland has backed The Courier’s First Aid Kids campaign on the condition that it does not add pressure to teachers’ workloads.

EIS general secretary Larry Flanagan backed the principles of the campaign but said teachers must not be strained by the extra lessons.

“While EIS is supportive of the principle of teaching pupils important first aid skills at school, this would need to be carried out through an external programme that neither impedes on teachers’ time no adds to their already unmanageable workload,” Mr Flanagan said.

“Inviting external bodies into schools to deliver first aid training has the potential to be beneficial to Scotland’s young people, therefore.”

The comments follow First Minister Nicola Sturgeon giving her backing to The Courier’s call to equip every schoolchild with the first aid skills needed to save a life. During her visit to Dundee on Wednesday, the first minister declared her support in “principle”.

Freedom of Information requests sent out to every local authority in Scotland revealed the majority of schools who do offer first aid training currently implement it through an external programme.

In Tayside, Heartstart Discovery and Safe Taysiders are common providers of emergency lifesaving lessons for schoolchildren.

Lessons are not currently taught across the board for all ages, as schools have the ability to choose if first aid is taught, and lesson frequency.

EIS general secretary Larry Flanagan.