The outgoing president of the Educational Institute of Scotland teaching union has pushed for more funding for education to alleviate child poverty.
Addressing the union’s AGM in Dundee, Paula McEwan said education, including the college sector, can help to lift adults and children out of poverty.
First Minister John Swinney has targeted the eradication of child poverty as the driving force behind his Government.
Ms McEwan told the gathering: “Education is key to so many things but without appropriate levels of targeted, ring-fenced, transparently-allocated and spent funding, how can we possibly get it right for every child?
“The First Minister needs to recognise that investment in education across all its spheres will bring a saving in the longer term.
“Investment in education now, and that includes in further education, eases pressure on the health service, on the justice service, on adult social care and on so much more in the longer term.
“Education will lift adults and their children out of poverty, will boost the economy, and will allow our population to thrive.”
She also criticised the Scottish Government’s handling of the long-standing college lecturer dispute over pay.
College minister Graeme Dey, she said, has been “roundly missing in action”, while she added: “Shame on (Education Secretary) Jenny Gilruth.”
Three successive first ministers – Nicola Sturgeon, Humza Yousaf and Mr Swinney – could have “stepped in and resolved this at any point”, she said.
The union’s Further Education Lecturer Association (Fela) announced nine strike days in May and June due to a failure of ongoing talks.
She continued: “It is a pity that the Cabinet Secretary could not come here, stand in front of the representatives of almost 65,000 teachers and defend the Scottish Government’s record on education.
“In 2021, we were told to judge the Government on education, and we really would, if only they would give us something to judge.
“Colleagues, it’s not good enough.
“Our children and young people deserve better, our schools deserve better, and our members deserve better.
“We need action and we need it now.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government has a proud record of investing in Scottish education. That investment means we spend more per pupil than any other part of the UK and our teachers are the best paid.
“We are also offering £145.5 million to local councils this year to protect teacher numbers – all of this investment is because we value Scotland’s teachers.”