Protestors on the march against cuts to education services
PROTESTERS have demanded that ministers and local councils “prioritise children’s futures” amid swingeing budget cuts during a march for education yesterday.
Hundreds of parents, teachers, trade unionists and supporters took part in the demonstration, which was sparked by major cuts to teacher numbers and other education services in Glasgow.
The event was organised and led by the Glasgow City Parent Group.
Marchers gathered at the top of Buchanan Street before proceeding to George Square, where a rally was held outside the City Chambers.
The city is planning to cut up to 450 teaching posts, around 8% of the current total, over the coming three years, with 172 posts already removed for the coming school year.
The decision means that as many as 45 schools will have only the head teacher not in class for at least some of the week, prompting concerns about teacher workload, additional support provision and pupil safety.
In April, the council’s education convener exclusively told The Herald that her administration had been left with no choice but to reduce teacher numbers, due to the funding settlement handed down by the Scottish Government.
In both cases, the SNP was in charge with support from the Scottish Greens.
Last week, councillors rejected a Labour proposal to delay cuts to a widely-celebrated mentoring scheme for vulnerable teenagers, instead passing major cuts to schools’ core staffing provision, with schools having to use anti-poverty funding if they are unhappy with the reduction.
SNP and Green councillors have claimed that the major cuts will not reduce the number of pupils being supported, despite the fact that a full assessment of the likely impact has not been carried out.
In recent months, the closure of both the Advanced Higher Hub, which gave pupils the opportunity to study advanced qualifications in a university setting, and the School Library Outreach service, which allowed schools to borrow from an extensive range of teaching resources and have them delivered free of charge, have been announced.
Members of the EIS trade union have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action in response to the council’s plans, as have members of the Association of Headteachers and Deputes Scotland (AHDS), raising the prospect of massive disruption to schooling after the summer holidays.
Leanne Mcguire, chair of the Glasgow City Parents Group, said she organised the march “to demand better funding for our children’s education”.
She added: “Our kids deserve the resources and support needed to succeed and it’s time the Scottish Government and local authorities prioritise their future.”
During her speech to the crowd in George Square, Ms Mcguire told the crowd that they are fighting “for the promise of a brighter future for all our children and young people”.
She accused councillors of “making decisions without fully understanding the impact on pupils or staff,” arguing that such choices are “just a budget line to them”, and insisted that if school staff go on strike in the coming months, then “the blame for this will lay squarely in the hands of Glasgow City Council and the Scottish Government, not the unions”.
Ms Mcguire also criticised the Scottish Government for issuing statements which “completely contradict what is happening in the country”.
She added: “We understand the limitations on budgets, but given the disaster happening in Glasgow, it is time for the Scottish Government to intervene.”
Speakers from organisations including the EIS, the Association of Headteachers and Deputes Scotland, NASUWT, and Unison also addressed the crowd.
A council spokeswoman said: “Our officers will continue to support our head teachers and their schools during this process. At every stage we will do everything we can to minimise any impact to schools but in the current financial climate, the council must look at every option”.
Our kids deserve the resources and support needed to succeed
“Officers are looking at several savings as part of a budget that required £108 million of savings from council services over the next three years, not including social care.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The government is investing record levels in the education system, with the Education and Skills budget growing to over £4.8 billion for 2024-25. This will support our commitments on narrowing the attainment gap, expanding free school meals, free tuition fees and supporting teacher pay and numbers. Teachers in Scotland are the best paid in the UK and we spend more per pupil than any other part of the UK.”