CRAIG Hoy, a Conservative MSP for South Scotland, has criticised the SNP-Green government for “short-changing” local authorities in relation to requests for probationary teachers.
A response by SNP education secretary Jenny Gilruth to Scottish Conservative shadow education secretary Liam Kerr MSP reveals that in May 2023, Scotland’s 32 councils received a total of 3,161 probationary teachers.
However, that was 657 fewer than councils had asked the SNP-Green government to allocate them.
Mr Hoy says this is a worrying example of SNP-Green government ministers failing to provide Midlothian schools with adequate resources.
In Midlothian, 71 probationary teachers were requested, but the SNP-Green government allocated only 49 teachers to Midlothian.
Craig Hoy MSP says this is “further evidence” of how the SNP are failing to hire the number of teachers required in schools in Midlothian and even when there is an over-reliance on temporary teachers, they are still failing to provide enough.
The MSP has urged the SNP-Green government to urgently lay out a plan to deliver more permanent teaching posts in Midlothian and in the meantime, ensure that the shortfall of temporary teachers is addressed.
Craig Hoy MSP commented: “Midlothian faced a shortfall of 22 probationary teachers in May.
“This is all too typical of SNP-Green ministers failing to support Midlothian with adequate resources despite being Scotland’s fastest-growing growing area.
“It is further evidence of them failing to hire enough teachers and, even when they continue to over-rely on probationary teachers, they cannot provide enough teachers for Midlothian.
“This has a harmful effect on our pupils and the teachers already employed in schools in Midlothian.
“We need to see ministers lay out an urgent plan for how schools will be fully supported in light of this shortfall and how more permanent teaching posts will be created.”
