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As the Guardian reports on 14 years of cuts to school budgets, crumbling buildings and a crisis in the funding for staff in England, the Scotsman has a go at including Scotland in this ‘crisis’ with:
SNP teacher numbers vow in tatters
The claim comes, no surprise, not from an independent research group but from the EIS union, whose leaders have regularly misrepresented their members interests to help Scottish Labour.
The EIS leadership and Labour are close. Several, with me, were at Stirling University, thanks to one of the first access courses for mature students with few Highers, in the late 70s, early 80s, including Larry Flanagan (EIS General Secretary), Richard Leonard (above), John Reid (then CP) and Jack McConnell.
The reporting, no surprise has no facts to get in the way of the scare story.
Here are a few.
First, from UK Government figures in November 2023:
Pupil to teacher ratios in maintained schools were lowest in Scotland (13.2) and similar in Northern Ireland (17.4), England (18.0) and Wales (18.4).
I just know that some irregulars will quickly think that the Scottish figures, presented as ‘lowest’ must be then be worse but I know you know that 13.2 pupils per teacher is a lot better than the 18 in England and Wales.
That 4.8 difference between the 13.2/1 in Scotland and the 18/1 in England is 36.36% and between Scotland and Wales, at 5.2, is a whopping 39.39%.
Second, while there has been a fall in the number of teachers in the last year, there has also been a fall in the number of pupils with the resultant pupil teacher ratio remaining the same.
https://www.gov.scot/publications/summary-statistics-for-schools-in-scotland-2023/documents
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Talking-up Scotland / Facts on NHS, Crime, ferries and everything else you can think of 
Labour making the case for Britishit.
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” As the Guardian reports on 14 years of cuts to school budgets, crumbling buildings and a crisis in the funding for staff in England, the Scotsman has a go at including Scotland in this ‘crisis’ “
Is the Pope catholic ?
Odd that honouring a “Vow” made by SNP is ascribed greater importance than one to convince Scots to lead the UK to a brighter, more democratic and prosperous future…. Who says the Scotsman doesn’t do satire…
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Well it definitely doesn’t do Saltire!!!
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Brilliant!
Just a Cordon Sanitaire between them and reality?
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“Le cordon sanitaire du Grand Canyon plein de merde” do you mean ?
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I do now.
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The SNP Government are , according to their Labour /EIS critics , unaffected by the 14 years of Austerity and annual cuts to their ”handout” from Westminster and are expected to make bricks without straw .
If they had spent DOUBLE the budget on Education ( or Health or Ferries .. ) these same critics would invent something else to whinge about !
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The Tories (ConDem) cut Education funding £6Billion a year from 2015. £45Billion. Increased fees for the university students in the south. Half will never be paid bac. Just a burden. A £87 Billion student loan book being sold on to private companies. To make excess profits.
In Scotland 800,000 pupil. 54,000 teachers. 15,000 classroom assistants + other staff. Secretaries and janitors. Average teacher/pupil ratio. 1-13, The Scottish Gov has ring fenced Education so (unionists) councils cannot cut it to spend on other projects. Wasting more money.
Aberdeenshire council has cut intervention and additional needs teachers. The head of the council cut services as education councillor. Thatcher’s pal. The Tories and LibDems. A waste of time.
Aberdeen teachers are complaining about violence. Some additional needs pupils have melt downs. They get overwhelmed with anxiety in stressful noisy situations. Teachers get little additional needs training how to deal with the situation. unless they specialise. All teachers should get training. One in 20 pupils are on the spectrum. An additional needs pupil got anxiety in the noisy dinner hall. They picked up a plastic knife. The untrained classroom assistant phoned the Police. There are simple measures that can be applied. A quiet room, understanding and comfort cushion or facilities.
The Scottish Gov are providing funds for nature/nurture practitioners. They do a great job understanding and helping pupils. Providing additional nursery facilities and more training courses for staff.
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‘the EIS union, whose leaders have regularly misrepresented their members interests to help Scottish Labour’
Given the reference to the EIS and given its general negativity towards the Scottish Government, it’s instructive to look at an example of how the equivalent of the EIS in Wales frames its ‘wants’ from the Welsh Government (with my emphasis).
From the website of the National Education Union (NEU): ‘The crisis in funding for schools and colleges in Wales. Motion 22 – NEU Cymru members highlight the crisis in funding for schools and colleges in Wales (22/10/2023)
https://neu.org.uk/latest/press-releases/crisis-funding-schools-and-colleges-wales-motion-22
‘NEU Cymru, Wales’s largest education union, is calling for the Welsh Government to prioritise educational funding and investment, as a matter of urgency.
‘The National Education Union Cymru is concerned about THE CONTINUED FUNDING CRISIS IN SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES IN WALES. INSUFFICIENT MONEY HAS BEEN GOING INTO THE EDUCATION SYSTEM and it is estimated that STUDENTS IN WALES RECEIVE UP TO £700 PER ANNUM LESS THAN PUPILS IN ENGLAND.’
Stuart Williams, Wales Policy Officer of the National Education Union Cymru, said: “NEU Cymru acknowledges that the Welsh Government are somewhat RESTRICTED BY MONIES THEY RECEIVE FROM THE UK GOVERNMENT IN Westminster, with the REAL TERMS BUDGET BEING ESTIMATED AT £4 BILLION LESS OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS. To some extent, THEIR HANDS ARE TIED, but the Welsh Government are also responsible for how they spend their budget.
The text of the trade union’s late 2023 conference motion includes: ‘Conference Cymru notes that there has been A FUNDING CRISIS IN SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES ACROSS WALES, FOR YEARS. Insufficient money has been going into the education system and it is estimated that students in Wales receive up to £700 per annum less than pupils in England. This cannot and must not be allowed to continue.
‘Conference Cymru acknowledges that the Welsh Government are somewhat RESTRICTED BY MONIES THEY RECEIVE FROM THE GOVERNMENT IN WESTMINSTER, with the real terms budget being ESTIMATED AT £4 BILLION LESS OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS. To some extent, THEIR HANDS ARE TIED.’
And: ‘Conference Cymru instructs the Executive to liaise with the First Minister and the Education Minister and ENCOURAGE THEM TO PUT INCREASED PRESSURE ON THE UK GOVERNMENT TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF FUNDING IN SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES, AS A MATTER OF URGENCY.‘
Showing balance, awareness of context, provision of perspective – I’m sure the EIS would quickly find the capability and the motivation to campaign in a similar manner if the Labour Party were ever to gain power in Holyrood. But clearly having a Labour government is not proving to be the solution in Wales.
And if devolved government only works when the party of devolved government and the party of Westminster government is one and the same, then the nature of the devolution settlement within the UK constitution is not fit for purpose.
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The topic reminds me during the Indy ref knocking on a neighbours door to get a sense of how she would vote to be told she was voting NO because she was an ‘International’ Socialist and when I replied she could still be that in an independent Scotland she slammed the door in my face. Walking away bewildered thinking this person is teaching my grandkids at the local school god help them.
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Does “Socialist Internationalism” not support the liberation of peoples from all forms of colonialism and foreign domination and the right of nations to self determination?…………….a very mixed up neighbour…….maybe you should have given her a copy of International Socialism paper……she might have learned something!!!
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She’s a Trot
You can’t have socialism in one country because the capitalists will surround and undermine your economy.
it’s sort of true but:
Stalin – you’re wrong Trotsky, have this nice ice pick
Teaching IS, I doubt it . Keeps that stuff zipped and does the story of the royal family I bet
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International socialist. Illegal wars killing and maiming millions. Banking fraud and crash. Covid funding. £Billions going into the wrong pockets. Trident, redundant weaponry, £Billion wasted on projects of no value. Brexit. Now being charged to visit other countries. More bureaucracy. Maybe international socialist should look at the list and change their minds.
An Independent Scotland could stop illegal wars, tax evasion, Brexit, monies spent on worthwhile projects. Scotland et al more prosperous, equal and cohesive. Change Britain and the world for the better.
Scottish invention changed the world. Education system first to have tertiary education. The ability to learn, not the ability to pay. TV, radio, telecommunications. Led on to the internet. One of the best education system in the world.
in Scotland more got to University and college than anywhere else in the world. Over 56% Uni. Thousands of apprenticeship. Held back by Westminster poor, bad decisions. Liberty, fraternity and equality. The Declaration at Arbroath. Influenced world democracy. Universal suffrage 1928. Took a while.
Westmibster ness and corruption has ruined the world.
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