Number of temporary teachers in Inverclyde revealed

As of the beginning of June, 173 school educators in the local authority - including 113.4 full-time equivalent posts in primary schools, 50.5 in secondaries and 8.6 in special schools - were employed on temporary contracts, according to data obtained through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request by the Scottish Conservatives.

The bordering Renfrewshire and North Ayrshire councils have 92 and 97 temporary teachers respectively, while the Scotland-wide total is almost 5,000 and likely to be higher as three councils did not respond.

Liam Kerr, the Scottish Tory education spokesman, said teachers are the 'backbone' of the country's education system but they have been 'badly let down by 16 years of SNP neglect'.

However, Inverclyde's MSP Stuart McMillan said that while his party 'recognises the challenges' in retaining teachers and is 'committed' to recruiting more staff across the country, it is the local authority that should be doing more to ease the issue.

He said: "The Tories appear to have forgotten that it is local authorities that employ teachers, not the Scottish Government.

Stuart McMillan MSP (Image: George Munro)

"This is just another attempt to blame the SNP for a policy decision that in reality, was taken by Labour-led Inverclyde Council.

“I point this out because I am aware that the prevalence of temporary teacher contracts in Inverclyde appears to be more acute as compared to surrounding council areas.

"I have heard stories of constituents who have grown up in the area and want to teach here, but feel like they have no option but to seek employment elsewhere because of temporary contracts.

“I’m hugely concerned that when Inverclyde is facing continued population decline, the council has decided to contribute to, rather than alleviate, a brain-drain locally.

“If the Tories really cared about supporting teachers, they’d be taking this matter up with local authorities - not the SNP.”

Inverclyde has the eleventh-highest number of temporary teachers of the 29 local authorities that responded to the FOI request, with the highest total seen in Edinburgh (523) and the lowest in East Dunbartonshire (31).

Tory MSP Mr Kerr added: "This just adds to the intolerable strain that teachers are already operating under, as it fuels job insecurity, while denying pupils stability and continuity.

"Our teachers have been pushed to breaking point under the SNP as they are continually overstretched and under-resourced."

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Inverclyde Council leader Stephen McCabe hit back at Mr McMillan's 'overtly political attack', stating his 'disappointment' that the MSP 'should seek to deflect criticism' of the SNP Scottish Government.

Cllr McCabe said: “Every council in Scotland employs temporary teachers for a variety of reasons, including to cover maternity leave and sickness absences.

"We cannot give someone a permanent contract if they are covering another teacher’s substantive post.

"We also employ probationary teachers on a temporary basis as we only receive one year’s funding from the Scottish Government for these posts.

"There are other teaching posts funded through the Scottish Attainment Challenge and Pupil Equity funding from the Scottish Government. Both funding sources are time-limited, so we cannot offer permanent contracts to teachers in these posts.

"Indeed, the Scottish Government is significantly cutting our Attainment Challenge funding over the next few years, which means we cannot afford to employ the same number of teachers.

"If Mr McMillan is so concerned about the number of temporary teachers employed in Inverclyde and across Scotland, he should be asking the Scottish Government as part of its new deal for local government to make these temporary funding streams permanent, so we can reduce the number of posts on temporary contracts.”