The More Things Change...

Yesterday the BBC reported that only 19% of teachers currently in their probationary year have secured a permanent position for next year. This is a shocking inditement of the state of national and local policy and financial management. I appreciate that local authorities could not have seen the current recession coming but I feel that the national policy of training ever increasing numbers of teachers for a future drop in numbers is coming home to roost. I owe my career to this recruitment drive but it was hard enough for me to get a job, even though it originally wasn't in my main subject. I fear for my younger sister who will be graduating next year - what are her prospects going to be? Combined with the efficiency drive of local authorities following on from the general elcetion and the increasing pressure to cut school budgets, release staff and increase class sizes (despite propaganda to the contrary) what is the near future for Scottish education?