Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 29 January 2026 [Draft]
29 Jan 2026 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Portfolio Question Time
Teacher Recruitment (Rural Areas)
::This is another example of poor workforce planning. To be frank, we are having real difficulty, with a surplus at primary level and, by and large, a shortage at secondary level. In remote areas in particular, that is a challenge. The incentive scheme is not enough. What other measures is the cabinet secretary prepared to consider to ensure that every part of the country has the specialist teachers that it needs?
In the same item of business
3. Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con)
Con
::To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve the recruitment of teachers in rural areas. (S6O-05445)
The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills (Jenny Gilruth)
SNP
::Last week, we launched a new national teacher recruitment marketing campaign, which includes activity designed to encourage those thinking about a career i...
Alexander Burnett
Con
::As part of its budget, Aberdeenshire Council is expecting £9.4 million from the Scottish Government to maintain or increase teacher numbers and to reduce c...
Jenny Gilruth
SNP
::I will walk Alexander Burnett back to my comments in response to his colleague Roz McCall, in which I alluded to the fact that, when the probationer scheme...
Douglas Ross (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
::We have a shortage of teachers in Moray, but not necessarily a shortage of people who are willing to teach. With the large military footprint of RAF Lossie...
Jenny Gilruth
SNP
::I am sympathetic to Mr Ross’s points. Of course, matters pertaining to the registration of teachers in Scotland are for the GTCS to address. I encourage Mr...
Willie Rennie (North East Fife) (LD)
LD
::This is another example of poor workforce planning. To be frank, we are having real difficulty, with a surplus at primary level and, by and large, a shorta...
Jenny Gilruth
SNP
::I agree with the sentiment behind Mr Rennie’s question, but I return to the points that I made to Mr Burnett. Consider the kingdom of Fife, in which Mr Ren...