Cash blow for Scots teachers as salaries falling behind
THE salaries of Scottish teachers have slipped behind their international colleagues over the past decade, according to figures.
A major report on education systems around the developed world found the value of pay for secondary staff in Scotland is now ranked 19th out of 37 countries.
In 2007, the equivalent survey by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) ranked Scotland eighth in the developed world.
The report states: “In contrast to the general trend across OECD countries, teachers’ statutory salaries in ... Scotland were worth less in real terms in 2015 than they were in 2005.
“For teachers with typical qualifications and 15 years of experience, and accounting for inflation over the period 2005/15, statutory salaries were worth... six per cent less in Scotland across all levels of education.”
The report said the drop compared to average real terms increases in teachers’ salaries across OECD countries of six per cent in both primary and secondary schools.
The survey has been published at a time when some Scottish schools face severe teacher shortages, particularly in rural areas and in key subjects such as science.
Last month, The Herald revealed there were nearly 700 teacher vacancies unfilled at the beginning of the new school year.
The Scottish Government has launched a number of strategies to attract new talent including controversial fast-track teacher training courses.
However, unions argue that a major disincentive for graduates is the decreasing value of teachers’ pay.
The OECD report also highlighted the fact the average salaries of Scottish teachers are lower than the earnings of UK graduates. In Scotland, teachers earnings in 2015 were 82 per cent of the average earnings of graduates.
Larry Flanagan, general secretary of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) said the report confirmed teachers had seen their salaries cut.
He said: “The Government can no longer claim cuts to teachers’ pay were an inevitable result of the global economic crisis.
“It was a political choice, in this country, to cut teachers’ pay and it is a decision that has contributed to the growing recruitment challenge and teacher shortages that exist in many parts of the country. It is more clear than ever corrective action must be taken now to reverse this decline and to give our teachers a proper pay rise and fair salaries for the vital work that they do.”
The survey by the OECD – which converts salaries to US dollars – shows Luxembourg, Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands at the top of the international pay scales.
England sits just above the OECD average of $44,623 with Scotland, where classroom teachers can earn up to £35,000, just below the average.
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said the OECD report showed the salaries of teachers remained competitive overall.
She said: “We continue to work with teachers’ representatives, local authorities and other partners to ensure teachers are well rewarded for the excellent work they do.
“The Programme for Government sets out our commitment to remove the one per cent pay cap from 2018/19.”
Pay is currently under discussion at the joint Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers.
Teachers have not yet received a pay settlement for 2017/18 and the EIS has already rejected a one per cent pay offer.