This post reproduces a substantial part of an article which was published in the Evening Telegraph on Tuesday 25 September 2012 written by Reporter Philip Sim.
Teachers in Dundee have warned of an impending "crisis" in staffing levels at city schools.
The number of teachers available to cover classes has been badly hit by staff taking maternity leave, among other factors, and a local union representative warned that the system is nearing breaking point.
At a meeting of the education committee (held on Monday 24 September 2012) discussing the department's new service plan for city schools, Arthur Forrest of the EIS teaching union told Councillors that there were serious issues with the number of available teachers.
"We have extreme problems in schools trying to get supply, and it's moving towards crisis," he said.
"We're unable to find teachers to take classes - we have support for learning
teachers being taken from young people to cover classes."
"The motto is 'get it right for every child', but how can we when the (support for learning) teachers identified to work with the children are taken away to teach classes?"
"Often teachers speak to me and say they're spending too much time fire-fighting, covering classes." Mr Forrest added that "head teachers and senior management teams often didn't have time to work on implementing the "ambitious" changes outlined in the service plan because they had to cover classes."
"Senior management, who should be leading the changes, are unable to do so
because they are fire-fighting," he said.
"It says in the report that this will be delivered by a lead officer, but everyone knows that the changes take place in the schools and it's the head teachers and their teams who lead it."
"It's vital we're aware of the pressure on schools."
"I'd like an assurance from the Director that the people who are put in to lead speak to the real leaders to take account of reality."
Education Director Michael Wood admitted there were currently 56 teachers on
maternity leave from the city's schools, but said the authority was striving to bring in more support. "We were interviewing over the course of last week and we're interviewing this week for 20 more primary teachers," he said.
"Before the holidays we will have an open advert for staff."
"In all of our schools we're making sure we prioritise so we don't have a situation where children are disadvantaged due to a teaching issue."
"In terms of our head teachers, their voice is crucial. Our head teachers are the key drivers for improvements within our schools."
"The plan is a five-year plan, it allows us time to adapt and regroup in the light of experience."
"I'm out in schools on occasion doing supply work, as I want to see the schools and how the work is done.
"The reality is we don't know what's happening out in the field unless we get out there - we have people at the pumps."
When asked if he was happy with the director's response, Mr Forrest said: "I wouldn't go so far as to say I'm happy, but I heard him."