Measures to ensure that teacher and pupil support staff numbers as well as school hours are protected have been announced by the Scottish Government.

The Scottish Government has committed to increasing teacher numbers by 3,500 during this Parliament.

Since 2017/18 local authorities have received funding to protect the pupil-teacher ratio, teacher numbers and to provide places  for all probationers who need one.

Additional annual funding of £145.5 million is also being provided to maintain increased teacher numbers and support staff. In the year ahead (2023/24), if this is not delivered by a local authority, the Scottish Government will withhold or recoup funding allocated for these purposes.

Regulations will also be introduced under legislation passed by the Scottish Parliament in 2016 to enshrine a statutory minimum number of school hours.

Christina McKelvie MSP, the SNP MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, said:

“These measures outline the unwavering support for pupils across Scotland that the SNP led Scottish Government provides. 

"The commitment to recruiting more teachers and more pupil support staff is safeguarding the quality of education that the SNP government promised, and that the pupils of Scotland deserve, not least in my constituency of Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse.

“Of course, there are sharp, focussed, unavoidable budgetary pressures that both the Scottish Government and local governments have to contend with. But, as has been outlined by the Scottish Government, local government funding has increased in real terms, which is an impressive achievement for our government when you consider that settlements to the Scottish Government from the UK government have decreased by £18 billion in the last ten years.

“I recognise the importance of working with local government and this is something that I am committed to. But, I am also committed to securing good, consistent, and productive education for pupils in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, thus I am pleased and respect the steps outlined by the Scottish Government this week.”