Female teachers in Scotland
are working in a discriminatory job market, according to the country’s largest
teaching union.
A
survey conducted by the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) has found that
86 per cent of Scottish teachers working on temporary contracts are women.
It
also suggests that 48 per cent of the 2,000 temporary teachers that took part in the survey are currently unable to find
permanent positions. A large percentage of these are women.
EIS
general secretary Ronnie Smith said the survey highlights the need to increase
permanent teaching posts in Scotland or risk talented staff leaving the profession.
He said,
"The fact that around half of all respondents are in temporary posts due
to a shortage of permanent teaching opportunities is discriminatory in that it
is mostly women who are affected. Authorities
should look at ways of ensuring more permanent posts for teachers."
The
findings follow on the heels of a campaign by the Scottish Executive to attract
more people into the profession and an overall campaign to improve the
standards of teaching in Scotland.
Helen
Law, education spokeswoman for local authority umbrella group Cosla, said
initiatives to change the situation were already being put into place.
She
said, "As part of a recent agreement on conditions of service, each
educational authority will be reviewing their use of temporary contracts."
The
EIS surveyed 2,128 Scottish teachers on temporary contracts. Of these 1,820
were women and only 308 were men.
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