Scottish teachers, who have recently been awarded a significant pay increase, are now being considered for a radical reduction in their working week. The Scottish National Party (SNP) government has put forward proposals for a flexible four-day week in the classroom in an effort to prevent widespread industrial action.
A Bid to Avert Strike Chaos
Teaching unions have threatened to plunge schools into chaos with strike action, demanding a cut in the amount of time they spend teaching pupils. In response, Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth has unveiled a series of proposals centred on a ‘flexible’ four-day week model. The plan suggests that the fifth weekday could be covered by supply staff or through timetable overhauls, freeing up teachers for tasks like marking homework and professional development.
This initiative comes just after educators received a 7.5 per cent pay rise over two years. However, union bosses have made it clear that pay is only one part of their dispute, with workload being a critical issue.
Political Backlash and Support
The proposal has already faced sharp criticism from political opponents. Scottish Tory education spokesman Miles Briggs branded the plan a ‘gimmick’. He stated, ‘The SNP has woefully failed to provide the extra teachers they promised, so the ability to actually deliver reduced contact time for teachers remains unfeasible.’
Briggs further criticised the government for failing to deal with declining standards and an ‘epidemic of classroom violence’, arguing this move would ‘short-change students’ without offering real support for teachers.
In defence of the plans, Ms Gilruth outlined a vision for a ‘phased implementation of reduced contact time’. She stated, ‘These proposals are a statement of intent to empower Scotland’s teachers with the time, trust and tools they need to deliver transformative learning.’ The plans also include considerations for later school start times and restructured school days to accommodate different student needs.
The Road Ahead and Union Response
The proposals will now be considered by the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT), a body that includes teaching unions, local authorities, and the government. This comes against a backdrop of a broken SNP manifesto pledge from 2021 to reduce class contact time from 22.5 to 21 hours.
Scotland's largest teaching union, the EIS, is currently balloting its members for strike action over this very issue. EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley commented, ‘We will await further details of these proposals coming via the SNCT. In the meantime, the EIS ballot remains open... The EIS urges all teachers to vote in this ballot and to vote yes to strike action.’
The outcome of both the SNCT discussions and the EIS strike ballot will determine whether Scotland’s classrooms see a historic shift to a four-day week or a period of significant disruption.
