Moray Labour was joined by Shadow Education Secretary Michael Marra MSP, as well as members of the Educational Institute of Scotland’s Moray branch for an open dialogue on ‘Moray’s Education Challenge’. The event at Fochabers Public Institute focused, in particular, on the problems of educational attainment and teacher retention and recruitment in Moray, however, the discussion also unveiled broader concerns around Covid recovery, pupil behaviour, staff support, and working conditions.
Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary Michael Marra MSP welcomed the open dialogue with Moray’s teachers:
“So often policies are made based on national averages and sweeping generalisations, which is why it was so valuable to visit Moray to hear about the issues facing teachers at the coal face. While attainment, teacher recruitment, and teacher retention are undoubtedly national problems, they are especially acute in Moray.
“The teachers I met in Fochabers were also hugely concerned about the growing behavioural problems in the classroom. It’s clear we need to tighten up the rules around how schools deal with classroom violence and ensure that teachers are properly supported.”
“In 2021, the SNP promised us an ‘education recovery’ but two years later there’s no sign of it.” Michael Marra MSP, Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education
Labour’s Leader on the Moray Council Sandy Keith, who chaired the meeting, expressed his delight at welcoming Michael and the opportunity to hear from teachers on the front line:
“It was great to welcome Michael to Moray to hear first-hand about the difficulties we face here. Labour councillors in Moray have been doing what we can to ensure that education and teachers are adequately supported – like securing an additional £500,000 in the budget for an education investment fund, and re-instating the Employee Assistance Programme. However, the problems we face require national solutions, and that’s why it’s great to welcome a national figure to raise awareness of these issues.”
Mr Marra has recently established the Scottish Labour Education Network, which is open to anyone with an interest in shaping education policy in Scotland. Any Moray educators interested in joining the network can do so here.