Carson Calls for Action on Falling Teacher Numbers

Galloway and West Dumfries MSP Finlay Carson says the Scottish Government must do more to protect secondary school teacher numbers in his constituency.

That’s after the 2017 Teacher Census showed that the number of secondary teachers had fallen from 845 when the SNP came to power in 2007, to 688 in 2017, a fall of 157 teachers in a decade.

Mr Carson had challenged Education Secretary John Swinney MSP last week in the Scottish Parliament over the fall in STEM teachers across the region which had fallen 16% since 2010, only to be met with a response that failed to mention Dumfries and Galloway.

Mr Carson wants to see the government deliver on what they say is their number one priority, education and properly support rural schooling.

Commenting Finlay Carson MSP said: “The governemnt have completely failed to deliver on their number one priority and our pupils education is being hit as a result.

“We have lost over 150 secondary school teachers in our schools in the last decade and it is clear they have driven away many teachers with their constant reforms, such as the curriculum for excellence.

“I was bitterly disappointed last week when the Education Secretary mentioned other areas like the Highlands and Dundee in relation to tackling falling STEM teachers and it appears that this region is yet again missing out when it comes to vital education support.

“Our pupils deserve to have the best opportunities as they work their way through schooling, but the Scottish Government must support not hinder our teachers in the classroom.”