Fitness-to-teach panel hearings
- Christopher Daniels, a computing teacher from Lossiemouth, was struck off by the General Teaching Council for Scotland this week for masturbating during a video call to a 13-year-old. In a further case, technical teacher Aleksander Stelmaszuk, from Hyndland Secondary in Glasgow, was handed a two-year reprimand after admitting being drunk in school. A case against David Cush, a former teacher at St Joseph’s Academy in Kilmarnock, over allegations that he engaged in sexual activity with pupils, was adjourned to continue next week. Mr Cush denies the charges.
Rising tally of ‘underemployed’
- The rates of underemployment have grown significantly since the economic crisis five years ago, with young people particularly badly affected, says a report by the Scottish Parliament’s economy, energy and tourism committee. Individuals working fewer hours than they wanted to, or taking on jobs which did not utilise all their skills, were at risk of damaging their earning potential, it said. Underemployment could have a similarly devastating impact to unemployment, the committee concluded.
Call for fairer FE governance
- Colleges Scotland has urged the government to approve a code of governance for colleges to place the sector on an equal footing with universities. Colleges had supported the proposal for chairs to be directly appointed by government ministers, chief executive John Henderson said, but a code of governance should replace the existing requirements in the post-16 bill for ministerial approval of board members, to ensure sector’s flexibility, and balance accountability with autonomy.
Horticultural partners bloom
- The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) and the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) are joining forces to establish a new educational partnership to benefit children in Scotland. The organisations will aim to encourage more schools to visit all four RBGE Gardens and to sign up to the RHS Campaign for School Gardening. Leigh Morris of RBGE said: “The potential of what we can jointly achieve in true collaboration in Scotland is immense.”
