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| EIS teaching union warns over new fast-track teacher plan | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Scotland's biggest teaching union has voiced concern over a proposal to fast-track new teachers into classrooms. | |
| Education Secretary John Swinney has made public his "innovative plan" to "broaden" routes into teaching. | |
| The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) said there was "much to welcome" in the raft of measures which include enticing former teachers to return. | |
| However, it was unhappy at the idea of combining post-graduate learning with the one-year classroom probation. | |
| Mr Swinney believed this particular measure would help to find the right people to teach Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) subjects. | |
| The Scottish government's Attainment Scotland Fund will pay for the package of proposals, at a cost of £1m. | |
| Mr Swinney, who announced the details at the University of Dundee, said: "Teachers are the bedrock of Scotland's education system and I want to ensure we do everything we can to attract talented graduates to a career in teaching. | Mr Swinney, who announced the details at the University of Dundee, said: "Teachers are the bedrock of Scotland's education system and I want to ensure we do everything we can to attract talented graduates to a career in teaching. |
| "The quality of teaching is key to helping pupils achieve and to our aspiration of closing the attainment gap. | "The quality of teaching is key to helping pupils achieve and to our aspiration of closing the attainment gap. |
| "These innovative proposals are designed to do just that while, crucially, maintaining the traditionally high standard of teaching in Scotland." | "These innovative proposals are designed to do just that while, crucially, maintaining the traditionally high standard of teaching in Scotland." |
| 'Highest standards' | |
| Mr Swinney is aiming to recruit 200 new teachers into the profession. | |
| General Secretary of the EIS, Larry Flanagan, said his union was behind the teacher recruitment drive but he warned against "short-cuts" which might undermine the "high standards of Scotland's teaching profession". | |
| He believed the current arrangement whereby post-graduate training is followed by an induction period of a year in the classroom was the right one. | |
| Mr Flanagan said: "A key strength of the Scottish system is an all-graduate teaching profession, coupled with a guaranteed induction year in a school to provide all new teachers with practical experience to complement their theoretical study. | |
| "Our consistent view is that one-year of postgraduate training followed by a one-year induction period is the minimum period for any individual to become fully comfortable with both teaching theory and its practical application. | |
| "To suggest moving to a shortened fast-tracking route is inconsistent with the need to maintain and enhance the highest standards." | |
| What are the proposals? | What are the proposals? |
| Council workers becoming primary teachers | Council workers becoming primary teachers |
| Former teachers | Former teachers |
| Newly-qualified teachers from Ireland | Newly-qualified teachers from Ireland |
| Primary specialism | Primary specialism |
| Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) subjects | Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) subjects |
| Home Economics | Home Economics |
| Joint degrees with a secondary specialism | Joint degrees with a secondary specialism |