Teachers threaten formal dispute over ‘unacceptable’ class contact time

The Teachers’ Panel of the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) said high-class contact time is contributing to 'intolerable levels of workload experienced by all in the professions'.

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Scottish Government told to reach manifesto commitment to reduce class contact time to 21 hours a week.

PA Media

Teachers have threatened to declare a formal dispute with the Scottish Government if it does not reduce the amount of time educators spend actively teaching pupils.

The Teachers’ Panel of the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) said high-class contact time is contributing to “intolerable levels of workload experienced by all in the professions”.

The group said the SNP has failed to meet its 2021 manifesto commitment to reduce class contact time by 90 minutes to a maximum of 21 hours a week and to recruit 3,500 teachers to deliver the policy.

It said the time teachers spend actively teaching students in Scotland remains “unacceptably high” compared to other countries.

“The effects of this failure are being experienced daily by teachers across Scotland, with those in work finding workload pressures unsustainable and thousands of qualified teachers struggling to secure permanent employment,” the Teachers’ Panel said.

It added that repeated attempts to push for progress with class contact time had been met with “delay and obfuscation”.

The group said the current situation facing teachers is one that “cannot be tolerated any longer”.

After meeting on Monday, the Teachers’ Panel has unanimously decided to declare a formal dispute if a plan is not drawn up to meet the Scottish Government’s own targets before the end of the Parliamentary term, in around two years.

Des Morris, chair of the Teachers’ Side of the SNCT, said: “Scotland’s teachers have shown enormous patience in waiting for the Scottish Government to deliver on its promises on class contact time reduction and the recruitment of 3,500 additional teachers.

“But that patience is wearing very thin, after three-and-a-half years of delay and excuses from the Scottish Government.

“This week’s Scottish budget must lay out a very clear plan as to how these commitments will be delivered – Scotland’s teachers, pupils, parents and carers, and indeed the whole Scottish electorate, have the right to expect the Government to keep the promises it makes to them.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Cabinet Secretary wholeheartedly agrees with the views of the teaching panel in relation to the urgent need for the rollout of reduced class contact.

“The teaching panel will know this is, ultimately, a matter which will require agreement from the whole SNCT – including, crucially, local government.

“The Cabinet Secretary is keen to set out a timeline for implementation with urgency, particularly given the need for the profession to have the time required to engage with reform.”