Whether you are a parent, pupil, teacher or member of the community, you will be aware that the Stop Faculties campaign is high on the education agenda.
That’s because Dundee City Council has announced plans to remove 110 principal teachers from secondary schools as part of wider plans to change middle management structures in schools. The proposals have come under heavy criticism from the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), the teaching union, who say that the changes risk “even more disruption to young people’s learning on top of the difficulties caused by the pandemic”.
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As part of the campaign, a petition has been launched, urging members of the community to get behind the campaign and show their support for teachers across Courier Country.
Read on to find out all you need to know about the teaching union’s Stop Faculties campaign as we simplify the process and what it could mean for teachers and pupils in Dundee schools:
What the new plans mean for TEACHERS
- Teachers could strike: If teachers vote in favour of industrial action during the second ballot*, then a teachers’ strike could follow in June. In the latest EIS ballot, 88% of secondary teachers said they would be willing to take strike action to stop these changes from going ahead.
- Fewer career opportunities: If principal teaching posts are taken away, there would be fewer opportunities for teaching staff to progress in their careers as more staff members would be going for a fewer number of senior roles.
- Less time to teach: The union says that removing principal teachers would only increase workload for more junior teachers. That means less time to offer extra one-to one support and guidance to young people.
- Higher levels of workload and stress: According to a survey of EIS members in November, one in five teachers (22%) have sought help from their GP to manage stress at work. The union says the changes would significantly increase teacher workload and pressure, at a time when teacher stress is already very high due to staff shortages.
What the removal of principal teachers means for PUPILS
- Fewer experienced teachers: If the council removes principal teachers from departments, pupils will have less access to teachers who are experts in their subject.
- Less dedicated support: The plans would increase teacher workload and mean teachers have less time to offer one-to-one support and guidance to pupils.
- Disruption to learning: The plans would lead to a dramatic restructure of schools and would cause even further disruption to pupils’ education after the last two years of the pandemic.
What is the EIS saying?
David Baxter, secretary of the local EIS association, said: “We are in the middle of a serious crisis in education. But at a time when the council should be focusing resources on making sure that every student has what they need to prepare for their exams in May, they are chasing an unnecessary restructure.
The loss of principal teachers would remove invaluable experience and leadership from individual departments and only increase workload and demands for class teachers. It’s unbelievable that the council is still refusing to listen and respect teachers’ views. That’s why we’ve had a huge majority vote for strike action.
“It is time for the council to listen to teachers and take these plans off the table once and for all. However, if they refuse to listen and decide to push ahead with these plans, we are prepared to stand together and take action to protect education in our secondary schools.”
What is Dundee City Council saying?
Dundee City Council says the plan is designed to improve the quality of learning and teaching in secondary schools by enhancing leadership. The council’s children and families convener Stewart Hunter says that faculties will “provide a much more integrated and effective approach” than the current system and will make “significant steps” to give young people better life chances when they leave school.
Why should I get involved?
- If you agree that young people deserve a quality education from an experienced teacher and an expert in their subject area – then you should sign the petition
- If you support calls for more money to be spent on education, not less – then you should sign the petition
- If you want to back teachers in Dundee who have worked hard throughout the pandemic – then you should sign the petition.
How do I get involved in the Stop Faculties campaign in Dundee?
- Sign the petition to back local teachers here.
- Write to John Alexander, Leader of Dundee City Council and ask him to step in.
- Show your support on Twitter: don’t forget to tag @DundeeEIS and #StopFaculties.
In a recent online ballot organised by EIS, 88% of teachers in Dundee voted in favour of industrial action. There will be second ballot next week. This is scheduled to take place between April 19 and May 9.
