THE EIS is to appoint 50 LRs for CPD. Or to put it another way, 50 members of the Educational Institute of Scotland are being trained to act as learning representatives as part of the union’s commitment to continuing professional development under the post-McCrone agreement.
The union has confirmed plans to extend an e-learning initiative run through Paisley University which helps train active members in workplace education. Learning reps will be able to join the training scheme that went online this week and starts next month.
The new reps, fully trained and certificated, will promote professional development in each local authority and support teachers in planning and managing compulsory professional development programmes which will be in full swing next August as an additional 35 hours a year is added to contracts.
Ronnie Smith, the union’s general secretary, said teachers would have far greater levels of support once reps are in place. Employers would allow reps time off to take part in further training and carry out their local duties. Talks are under way with each authority.
The E-Learning for Teachers programme is supported by the Scottish Executive’s special fund for trade union learning and leads to a certificate in workplace education. The union and university hope to build in diploma and masters status.
