Moray SNP News

MSP RAISES LOCAL TEACHER SHORTAGE IN PARLIAMENT

EDUCATION MINISTER ACCEPTS LOCHHEAD'S INVITATION TO VISIT MORAY

Richard Lochhead has raised Moray’s teacher shortage with the Deputy First Minister at the first Education Question Time of the parliamentary session, during which Mr Swinney accepted an invitation from Moray’s MSP to visit the area to meet with local teachers.

Mr Lochhead asked the Education Minister what steps the Scottish Government has been taking to encourage people to take up teaching posts in Moray.  He welcomed the response offered by the Education Minister which provided details of the following actions being taken by the SNP Government:

• Supporting the University of Aberdeen in its distance learning primary teacher education course, which allows local authority staff (including Moray Council staff) to train as teachers while they continue to work
• Supporting UHI in offering teacher education in secondary subjects at Moray College
• Working with the General Teaching Council to deliver its recent initiative, in partnership with the Moray Council, to allow teachers qualified outwith Scotland to be provisionally registered while they undergo top-up training
• Launching a recruitment campaign to encourage more people to become teachers

Moray’s MSP called for the Scottish Government to review how Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs) are allocated, as the Moray Council has experienced problems caused by being allocated NQTs only to later find out they haven’t passed their course.  John Swinney committed to exploring the issue and accepted Mr Lochhead’s invitation to visit Moray in the near future to meet with teachers who work here. 

Commenting, Richard Lochhead MSP said:

“I was pleased to have the opportunity to raise Moray’s teacher shortage directly with the Education Secretary in the Scottish Parliament and I’m delighted that he has made a commitment to visit Moray to meet with some of our excellent teachers.

“While the teacher shortage in Moray remains challenging, it is clear the that the Scottish Government is committed to working with Moray Council, UHI and the General Teaching Council to increase the number of teachers working in our schools and that is something I very much welcome.

“John Swinney committed to exploring some of the difficulties Moray Council has been having around the allocation of Newly Qualified Teachers.  I will be keeping a close eye on how that progresses and I very much look forward to welcoming the Education Secretary to Moray soon."