Created on: 04 Nov 2024
The EIS has hit out at the decision by East Ayrshire Council to proceed with its plan to outsource instrumental music teaching to an arm’s-length trust.
The Council’s decision to remove instrumental music from Education, effectively privatising provision, will have serious implications for the children and young people living in the area, as well as for the Instrumental Music Teachers (IMTs) currently employed by East Ayrshire Council.
Earlier this week, the EIS announced that it had written to the Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Education, Jenny Gilruth, to urge her to intervene to protect instrumental music tuition and impress upon the SNP-led administration in East Ayrshire the need for this vital service to remain a part of the Council’s Education Department if Scottish Government policy is to be implemented effectively
Commenting on the decision, EIS Assistant Secretary (Education & Equality) Anne Keenan, said: “This is a terrible decision by East Ayrshire Council, which will significantly downgrade the status of instrumental music teaching in East Ayrshire’s schools, undermining key Scottish Government manifesto commitments and diluting the educational focus of this key service. With performance representing 50% of the assessment in National Qualifications in Music, IMTs deliver essential tuition to prepare young people to complete SQA practical assessments to the requisite standards. However, the impact of the service goes much further, offering a huge range of benefits to children and young people in terms of their health, wellbeing and holistic development. Young people who take part in instrumental music often benefit from improved confidence, greater engagement in their learning, and enjoy the experience of working collaboratively with others. All of this is being put at risk by this dangerous and needless decision by East Ayrshire Council.”
EIS Salaries Convener, Des Morris said, “The EIS Salaries Committee is deeply concerned about this decision to privatise the instrumental music service in East Ayrshire, placing the SNCT (Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers) terms and conditions, and the protection that IMTs in Scotland have, at risk. This damaging decision has been forced through with little or no meaningful consultation with those who will be impacted. The Salaries Committee has discussed the matter and agreed that the decision to completely alter the employment status of East Ayrshire IMTs, effectively weakening their terms and conditions, is not acceptable. We will raise this as a matter of urgency through all relevant SNCT channels.”
Ms Keenan added, “It is not too late for East Ayrshire Council to stop this reckless course of action, and recommit to delivering the best possible instrumental music education for young people. The EIS will continue to campaign until this decision is overturned, not only to protect the professional status and terms and conditions of our members but also to protect the delivery of the high-quality tuition which the children and young people of East Ayrshire deserve.”