Newly qualified teachers in Fife have slammed the “unethical” policies of the local council as many face uncertain future with limited permanent posts on offer.
Teachers across the Kingdom have expressed their dismay at being told they are without a permanent position next year.
Though many new teachers were not formally offered a job, there was an expectation following the interview process in March that positions would be secured for the autumn.
One teacher, Leeona Graham, said was only informed she had been unsuccessful in securing permanent position on the last day of term.
She said: “I received the very abrupt and impersonal email to inform me that I had no employment at 7.45am on the last day of term.
“A day I knew would be emotional after teaching my class for a year, through all the ups and downs, became even more upsetting.
“I had to go into class on the very last day, knowing that I was basically unemployed come 3:05pm, when the school bell rang.”
The mother-of-two says she now faces the “utter nightmare” prospect of being unemployed.
“I received the very abrupt and impersonal email to inform me that I had no employment at 07:45 on the last day of term.”
Leeona Graham
She added: “I have numerous questions about the policies Fife Council have in place at the moment, which quite frankly are unethical.
“I know they put the clause in the “offer” email to protect themselves, legally. However, surely in March they would have had a ball park number of positions available?
“Three months of waiting to find out if you are employed is not what I would call a positive work environment.”
‘More Teaching Posts in Fife’ petition
The Scottish Liberal Democrats have now launched a petition calling on the Scottish Government and Fife Council to find a solution to the problem.
Leader Willie Rennie and North East Fife MP Wendy Chamberlain launched the petition yesterday and it has since reached more than 800 signatures.
There are thousands of qualified teachers stuck on short term, casual contracts and the problem is getting worse. I challenged the SNP Government, again, to fix this by making the funding they have allocated permanent. But the minister dodged the question – again! #teachers pic.twitter.com/MVugsFLDhN
— Willie Rennie (@willie_rennie) June 24, 2021
Ms Chamberlain said: “We have spent years encouraging the very best and brightest to put themselves forward and teach the next generation of Fifers.
“Now many of them face an uncertain future and have been told they must uproot and find employment elsewhere.
“After such a difficult eighteen months for teachers, children and parents, such treatment of newly qualified staff only makes things more challenging.”
“Supporting the probationer scheme is really important”
Executive director of education and children’s services Carrie Lindsay said: “In Fife we appoint teachers to permanent posts wherever there is permanent funding.
“Temporary contracts, whether short or long term, are used in genuine circumstances such as cover for the absence of an existing teacher or where there is an additional requirement supported by temporary funding.
“In our primary schools the school roll is falling which reduces the number of teachers we need to employ.
“Also, at this time of year, staffing requirements and allocations are constantly changing, as schools anticipate and react to staffing and school roll changes. This happens every year at this time.
“Supporting the probationer scheme is really important for us in Fife and probationers are considered, and funded, as part of our core staffing allocations in place across the authority.
“We have an important role in developing our teachers of the future and supporting newly qualified staff into appointments wherever we can.”
“Working with COSLA”
Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Contracts are a matter for local authorities who are responsible for the recruitment and deployment of staff.
“The Scottish Government believes that we will need all possible teaching resources as we recover from the pandemic.
“We are working closely with COSLA regarding the employment of teachers for the next academic year, and we will continue to do everything we can to maximise the number of jobs available for teachers, including permanent posts.
“As part of our commitment to recruiting 3,500 additional teachers and classroom assistants, funding will be provided to local authorities to increase teacher numbers by 1,000 and classroom assistants by 500.”
