Scottish Government
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Scottish teachers’ “hardest-working year”
Education Secretary commits to more support for schools in delivering new qualifications.
Scotland’s Education Secretary has paid tribute to the country’s teachers, describing the implementation of the new National qualifications as their “hardest-working year”.
Speaking ahead of an appearance at Parliament’s Education and Culture Committee, Michael Russell also committed the Scottish Government to maintaining the pace of tackling bureaucracy “in the best interests of pupils, teachers and our entire education system”.
Mr Russell said:
“Scotland’s schools are among the best anywhere in the world. I am in no doubt that that is principally thanks to the professionalism, expertise and dedication of our teachers.
“Last year saw the implementation of the first year of the new National qualifications and teachers were challenged by an increased workload – arguably, their hardest-working year.
“I am enormously grateful to teachers up and down the country for all they have done over the last year and for the excellent ways in which they have delivered for their pupils – demonstrated not least by the record number of Higher passes this summer.
“It is to the credit of our teachers that the qualifications diet went so well and I am determined to provide additional support to help schools.
“Yesterday the Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) Implementation Group set out a plan for delivering the recommendations of the CfE Management Board Reflections Report – recommendations to help our schools in delivering CfE in the best interests of pupils, teachers and our entire education system.
“On behalf of the Scottish Government, I wholeheartedly endorse their report and I welcome the practical steps they outline to improve support for our teachers.
“Practical steps such as new support materials from the SQA, the additional Higher specimen paper asked for by teachers and Education Scotland’s events for secondary schools will make a real difference in our classrooms and I am determined that these are just the beginning. We will continue working with our partners in Education Scotland and the SQA to support teachers in continuing to strengthen our education system.
