Teachers and exams agency clash over rise in paperwork

Vote on protest over bureaucracy

TEACHERS are threatening to ‘withdraw co-operation’ with Scotland’s exams agency in a bitter row over surging workloads.

The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) warned it would no longer work with the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).

Leaders of the EIS, the country’s largest teaching union, are awaiting the result of a ‘work-to-contract’ statutory ballot, with results due to be published on Thursday next week.

With membership backing, the union would stop co-operating with the SQA by ignoring paperwork and other moves in protest at the agency’s bureaucratic demands.

But union chiefs also warned of the ‘nuclear option’ of refusing to mark children’s internal assessments.

There is growing anger among teachers over the workload caused by new qualifiof cations and the failure of the SQA to respond to their concerns.

Members of the union are also set to debate a separate move during their three-day annual meeting in Dundee to boycott planned standardised national tests, potentially sinking Nicola Sturgeon’s flagship education reform.

The deepening row comes as another union – the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association – threatens to stage industrial action and strikes over the assessment row.

Education Secretary John Swinney is set to address delegates at the EIS conference tomorrow as he faces the growing threat of industrial unrest hitting Scotland’s schools later this year.

EIS president Pat Flanagan said: ‘Our statutory ballot on industrial action is under way and closes on June 16.

‘The work-to-contract would, initially, amount to a withdrawal co-operation with the SQA but will not impact on pupils.’

If the work-to-contract move is backed by members in the ballot, teachers would work only their contracted 35 hours ‘with regard to SQA-related workload’.

These moves, according to the EIS, are ‘likely to include refusing to provide cover for colleagues absent on SQA business’ and boycotting SQA seminars.

Members have been told a boycott of internal assessments would be a ‘nuclear option’ as it could lead to pupils being ‘penalised’.

Mr Flanagan told delegates yesterday that teachers’ patience had been ‘exhausted’.

He added: ‘Our requests for a delay to allow time for schools to prepare [for assessment reforms] were ignored and the new National Qualifications were introduced in 2013-2014.’

The burden on teachers came after National 4 and 5 qualifications were brought in to replace Standard Grade exams in 2014.

Term-time tests known as unit assessments have created a surge in workload.

Scottish Tory education spokesman Elizabeth Smith said: ‘This is symptomatic of the pressures facing John Swinney as he tries to restore the faith of the teaching profession in the Scottish Government.’

Last night, an SQA spokesman said: ‘We have recently published a series of subject review reports, detailing adjustments, guidance, and support… We believe these improvements are feasible and appropriate and will help to alleviate workload concerns without compromising national standards and the credibility of the qualifications.’

A Scottish Government spokesman said the EIS ballot on industrial action was ‘disappointing’, adding: ‘We are committed to tackling bureaucracy and freeing up our teachers to teach and the Scottish Government has been working with unions, local authorities and other partners to address concerns over workload.’

‘Our patience has been exhausted’