The Western Isles’ branch of the EIS union has welcomed a letter from the comhairle’s education director, William MacDonald, regarding the ongoing ‘harmonisation’ of secondary timetables and delivering lessons via video or computer links.
The proposals would see an increase role for online learning platform, esgoil, across the islands’ four secondary schools where secondary pupils would be sat in different classrooms across the islands with a teacher using videoconferencing tools to deliver subjects.
The EIS expresses concern over the implications of extensive online learning “due to the health and safety of pupils, learning and teaching practices, child protection, and staff terms and conditions.”
The union opposes a feared reduction of face-
The comhairle insists it will not be cutting any jobs under the proposals.
Both sides are to discuss the issues at a forthcoming meeting, earmarked for next week.
Karen Graham, EIS branch secretary, said it was “useful” to have commitments from the director in writing “because we have not yet seen a written proposal for the harmonisation of timetables and online learning provision.
“There is clearly a lot of misinformation and alternative facts flying around.
“All our members want is to be properly consulted and any changes to our working conditions negotiated via the established channels.”
Ms Graham stressed: “If the comhairle continues to flout the collective bargaining forum that we have agreed then our members will be forced to take action over this dispute.
“We don’t want it to come to that. We want the best educational provision for our pupils; we don’t simply want one which is designed to raise revenue or to be the cheapest.”
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar says island jobs have been crated locally as the many schools across Scotland use the comhairle’s esgoil initiative to deliver lessons remotely.
Without this approach, these jobs “would not exist and the work of the individuals and contribution to our local economy would have been lost.
“Rather than cutting teacher posts, this initiative is intended to create capacity to meet learner needs and to timetable efficiently to allow us to retain teachers, not lose them, whilst responsibly managing public funds and allocated budgets.”
The local authority adds: “All learning is delivered by properly registered and qualified subject-
“Where a lesson is being taught remotely by a teacher, an appropriate adult will be available to provide supervision.”
Unions and island education bosses to meet over remote teaching concerns
6 May 2022
