MORE than three-quarters of Scotland’s teachers frequently feel stressed as a result of their workload, a major survey has found.
In the poll of over 12,000 teachers across the country, 76.5% stated that their workload left them feeling stressed either frequently (60%) or all the time (16.5%). The high levels of workload-related stress may explain one of the other findings from the survey – that 70% of respondents would not recommend teaching as a career.
The figures were uncovered in a survey by the EIS as part of its Value Education, Value Teachers pay campaign. The full results are expected to be published later this month but discontent over pay levels was also high, according to EIS general secretary Larry Flanagan.
He said: “Our aim was to gather information on the issues affecting teachers, to provide a firm evidence base to support our ongoing campaigning. Discontent over levels of pay featured strongly, as did concerns over excessive workload demands and their impact on health and wellbeing. The fact that more than 75% teachers frequently feel stressed at work is worrying news – for teachers, for pupils and for Scottish education.”
He said that while the EIS campaign was primarily about “reversing the decade-long sharp real-terms decline in teachers’ pay”, it had also become a “lighting rod” for other issues of “significant” concern.
“Excessive workload and high levels of stress are clearly contributing to the high levels of dissatisfaction felt by many teachers,” he said.
“It is this toxic combination of soaring workload and declining pay that has created the current recruitment and retention crisis facing Scottish education. Both of these issues must be addressed to ensure that Scotland’s education system can continue to meet the needs of learners in the future.”
The EIS has been calling for teachers to be given a 10% rise to restore the value of salaries following public sector pay caps.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said yesterday: “We have undertaken a range of actions to reduce teacher workload, acting to clarify and simplify the curriculum framework and to remove unnecessary bureaucracy while the education reforms being implemented by this government will also create new opportunities for teachers to develop their careers.
“The Scottish Government and local authorities have made an improved pay offer which, including increases as a result of restructuring the pay scale, would see teachers receiving a minimum 8% increase between January 2018 and April, with a further 3% in the third year of the proposed deal.
“This is a better deal than for any group of public sector workers in the UK and we urge the teaching unions to put this to their members for approval. We are engaging positively with the unions and discussions will continue in the New Year.”
The EIS survey follows revelations that teaching posts are being advertised repeatedly and are often failing to attract applicants.
But the Scottish Government has defended its record, saying teacher numbers are currently the highest since 2010, with primary teachers at the highest level since 1980.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here