Teaching staff off with stress causing alarm

Almost 100 Dundee teachers have been signed off due to stress, new figures have revealed. Last year 55 primary and 37 secondary teachers in the city were absent due to the condition – a rise of more than 20% from the previous year

In 2019-20 71 primary and secondary teachers were signed off with the problem.

Dundee also had the highest number of teachers off with stress in 2020-21 when compared with the other council areas in Tayside.

The figures – obtained by the Scottish Conservatives – show that in Angus there were 31 teachers signed off with stress in 2020-21 – 22 primary and nine secondary.

In Perth and Kinross, the number was 33. This was made up of 18 primary and 15 secondary teachers.

Fife had the highest number of teachers off due to stress in this period, with 59 primary and 59 secondary teachers signed off.

This, however, was down on 2019-20 when 160 teachers succumbed to the illness.

Maurice Golden, Tory MSP for the North East Scotland region, said the figures showed the “increasing demands” placed on teachers were having a negative impact on their wellbeing.

He said: “To have so many teachers absent as result of stress is deeply worrying and Dundee City

Council, along with the Scottish Government, must ensure they are sensitive to the needs of their teaching staff.

“The alarming rise in the number of teachers signed off highlights that the situation is getting worse, not better.”

“It’s clear that increasing demands in the classroom coupled with falling staff

numbers are having a negative impact on the wellbeing of our teachers.

“This also has a substantial impact on the individual students.

“Supply and cover teachers are more than capable but nothing can replicate the rapport of the teachers who are off ill.”

A city council spokesman said it has well-established

absence management procedures in their health and wellbeing framework, and they provide early intervention support.

“There are many different reasons for stress and absence which are not all work-related,” he said. “We work with people to help them with their own individual situation and offer assistance to them.”

TOO MUCH: The Tories say increasing demands on teachers are affecting wellbeing.