The NASUWT, the fastest growing union in Scotland, is disappointed at the failure of the Assessment and Qualifications Working Group to agree solutions to address the immediate problem of excessive teacher workload.
The Group, on which the NASUWT was represented, was set up by the Scottish Government to agree solutions to the problem of excessive teacher workload related to the introduction of the National Qualifications.
The NASUWT refused to sign up to the initial recommendations as they did not adequately address the immediate workload concerns of teachers and only promised greater action for 2017/18. The Scottish Government promised to revisit by yesterday (23 March) the initial recommendations which had been drawn up, however no revised statement has been forthcoming. The working group cannot now reconvene until after the 5 May Scottish election.
Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT, said:
“Teachers’ professional lives are being blighted by excessive workload and the key contributory factor is the burden resulting from the new National 4 and National 5 qualifications.
“The Union took an active part in the meetings to ensure that action would be agreed that would help to reduce these burdens, but no tangible solutions have been agreed.
“Teachers need more than worthy words and good intentions; they need concrete action to alleviate the burdens. The recommendations do not address the immediate workload concerns for members and only promise greater action for 2017/18.
“The NASUWT presented evidence of excessive teacher workload and examples of where duplication in assessment could be quickly addressed, but this has led to only minor changes which will have no significant impact on reducing workload.
“Teachers will once again feel deeply let down that there is a clear lack of will to support them in any meaningful way.
“The NASUWT already has industrial action instructions in place to support teachers to combat excessive workload and this action will clearly now continue.”
Jane Peckham, National Official Scotland, said:
“Despite the acknowledgement from all stakeholders that there is a problem, nothing has been forthcoming to address this.
“Teachers desperately need genuine, effective strategies now to address the burdens.”