School funding levels insufficient to meet increased challenges

National funding levels for education across Scotland are insufficient to meet the increased challenges facing schools as a result of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis, members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union have argued today.

The residual impacts of the pandemic on pupils’ learning, development, behaviour and mental health have been compounded by the cost of living crisis, leaving schools being expected to do much more to meet pupils’ needs without a corresponding increase in funding or resources to match.
 
With cuts to teaching numbers being mooted by some local councils, the Union has warned that the pressures on schools are likely to intensify without additional investment.
 
The Union has put forward a motion to STUC Congress in Dundee today calling for an increase in funding levels for education and an open and transparent national conversation around the ability to reform local council taxes and the use of new wealth taxes to generate additional money for education.