Some teachers deserve a pay rise but many are simply failing Scottish children
In recent weeks, we have seen teachers protesting on the streets, acting like irresponsible juveniles.
As we saw at First Minister’s Questions, the Scottish Government were being put under pressure from the other left wing parties to meet the demand for all teachers to receive a flat rate 10 per cent pay rise, in addition to annual increments they also receive, something that is both unaf- fordable and unrealistic. On this occasion, I find myself wholeheartedly supporting the SNP administration.
This is one of the most highly unionised sectors of the economy. They will argue that it will benefit pupils. Actually, it does precisely the opposite, as it extracts desperately needed funds from the education budget, which could be used to increase teacher numbers or pay for much needed classroom resources. Many teachers are extremely capable and worthy of an increase in salaries, although 10 per cent is unrealistic.
Should every teacher receive an increase? Absolutely not. Many parents will have attended parents’ evenings and become aware that it is only a limited group of teachers who ever arrange twilight classes or give up time at Easter for extra revision classes, to help their pupils succeed in imminent exams. Equally, I have talked with teachers who never put in any such effort and regularly just instructed pupils simply to copy out information from text books, without adding any value.
Due to the highly unionised nature of the sector, this latter group of teachers, who are failing students year after year, are virtually impossible to dismiss. Nor will the unions co-operate in putting in place pupil testing, not because of some mythical pressure that it places on youngsters, but because it would help in putting in place performancerelated pay, determining the added value that respective teachers achieve and, equally, identifying those who are under performing – namely, bringing reality to the education sector and in line with the vast majority of workers whose taxes pay their salaries.
The SNP administration would do well to grasp these fundamental issues in the course of future negotiations rather than seeking to dismantle the private education sector, simply to hide their embarrassment at the results that can be achieved outside the state sector.
ANDREW WHITE
Murieston Vale , Livingston, West Lothian