EIS teaching union calls for concordat to be scrapped

The EIS wants to see an end to the concordat agreement

A teaching union has called for the abolition of the concordat agreement between the Scottish government and local authorities.

Under the deal, government ministers no longer ring fence money for the particular responsibilities of local government.

The EIS union claimed this has resulted in money for schools being diverted to other areas.

But the Scottish government said councils welcomed the flexibility offered by the concordat.

'Blame game'

The outgoing president of the EIS, Helen Connor, used her keynote address at the union's annual general meeting in Dundee to call for all teachers to work together to fight impending education cutbacks and to ensure that the new Curriculum for Excellence can be a success.

She said: "Get rid of the concordat which is not working and return to ring-fencing of budgets - that way we at least know where the money is going and we are not in the middle of a blame game with Scotland's young people falling through the middle."

Education Secretary Mike Russell said: "The Scottish government is fully committed to the productive and effective relationship we have with councils through the concordat, which gives them the freedom, flexibility and respect to meet our agreed priorities and manage their own resources.

"With the removal of ring-fencing and a greater focus on local decision making, wasteful bureaucracy is reduced and councils can focus on delivering services that meet local needs."