£2bn Must Go on Recruiting Teachers : Sturgeon Told

Add captionNicola Sturgeon told to reverse teaching funding cuts (Image: Getty)

NICOLA Sturgeon's legislature has been encouraged to turn around instructing cuts after Scotland was given a £2billion schools fortune.

PM Boris Johnson has promised to spend an extra £14bn on schools in England before 2022-23 as he ventures up arrangements for a snap general decision. His venture south of the Border will bring about the Scottish Government getting almost £2bn more than three years to spend as it picks. Scottish Tories yesterday tested SNP pastors to utilize the money to handle an enrollment emergency.


It comes ahead of Ms Sturgeon unveiling her new legislative programmer on Tuesday, when Holyrood returns from its summer recess.

The number of teachers has fallen by more than 3,000 since the SNP came to power in 2007.
Ms Sturgeon pledged to make education her top priority, but Education Secretary John Swinney has struggled with concerns around teacher morale, a narrowing curriculum and plummeting attainment levels.

The number of pupils achieving top exam grades this summer fell for the fourth year in succession.
Welcoming the windfall, Scottish Tory education spokeswoman Liz Smith said: “This is excellent news for our schools. We have seen further evidence of the decline in standards of attainment in Scottish schools and ongoing concerns about the shortage of teachers in several areas of the country, in key subjects and in additional support for learning.

 “Improvement in education depends first and foremost on good quality support for teachers.

“John Swinney now has the opportunity to deliver. I challenge him to use next week’s programme for government speech to commit to restoring teacher numbers closer to the levels when the SNP first took office.”

Earlier this year, it emerged there are around 800 unfilled vacancies across the country, with senior teachers previously claiming this had led to “excessive pressure and heavy workloads” for staff.
Ms Sturgeon will unveil 14 new Bills for the coming year this week.

The First Minister has promised to put tackling climate change “at the heart” of her programme for government, while she is also expected to attack Mr Johnson over his Commons shutdown and push her drive for independence.

Speaking ahead of Tuesday’s statement, Ms Sturgeon accused a “right-wing Brexiteer cabal” in No 10 of creating “a democratic and constitutional crisis”.

She added: “Events in the last few days, weeks and months have simply highlighted the need for the people of Scotland to have a say on their future – and the option of a better future offered by independence.”

The Scottish Government last night said it must get its “full, fair share” of the billions pledged by Mr Johnson.

A spokeswoman added: “Teacher numbers are rising and at their highest since 2010. We will scrutinise the announcements to identify if there are any new resources coming to Scotland.”

Resource: Express