Strike set to close Dundee high schools

ADundee teachers strike will close secondary schools for most pupils on Wednesday. Parents have been told only vulnerable children and children of key workers unable to find alternative childcare should go to classes on June 22.

Paul Fleming, chief education officer, said: “As a result of the strike action our secondary schools will not be able to open as normal to all young people.

“We will look to prioritise provision for vulnerable young people through direct contact from the school and for the children of key workers, where there is no other alternative available for childcare on that day.”

The Educational Institute of Scotland’s (EIS) Dundee association told members to stay off school premises on Wednesday.

Picket lines will be formed at schools at 7.30am ahead of a rally outside the Queen’s Hotel at 12.30pm, which will be addressed by EIS incoming general secretary Andrea Bradley.

The one-day strike has been called in opposition to the introduction of a faculties system, in which “families” of subjects will be grouped together with one curriculum head instead of a principal teacher in every subject.

This will result in the axing of 110 principal teacher posts and could mean, for example, a teacher in biology heading a science faculty for biology, chemistry and physics.

Recruitment for the new posts has already started.

The EIS argues this is not beneficial to pupils and will result in fewer experienced teachers, less dedicated support and an increase in teachers’ workload and stress.

However, the council says the model, already used by most other local authorities, will improve the quality of learning and teaching by providing enhanced whole school leadership to better support pupils and improve outcomes.

The action is unrelated to the nationwide pay dispute that could result in further strike action in October.

In that instance, teachers across Scotland are asking for a 10% pay raise for 2022-23, as part of the #PayAttention campaign.

Organised by the EIS, the campaign states the increase is needed to offset soaring inflation and the cost-of-living crisis and in recognition of teachers’ “heroic delivery” of education during the pandemic, when they were essential workers.

The EIS also claims that excessive workload is “causing burnout and turning good people off teaching” and that teachers need be “fairly rewarded” for the work that they do.

A rally in support of the campaign was held in Dundee last Saturday, with future demonstrations planned for Edinburgh and Glasgow.

DISPUTE: Parents have been told not to send their children to school this Wednesday.