Hundreds of teaching jobs could be axed under drastic new plans drawn up by Glasgow City Council.
As well as more than 800 jobs being cut, primary schools would close early on Fridays to help cut £51 million from the education budget.
The local authority is facing a £68m financial black hole next year, with departments tasked with coming up with options for the cuts. Leaked documents seen by the Daily Record show that education is set to be hit the hardest by cuts.
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Individual options include cutting back on technicians who support science learning, reducing school psychologists and axing mentoring programmes for disadvantaged young people.
Other areas identified for cuts by the council, which is led by the SNP’s Susan Aitken, include dyslexia support and swimming for primary school pupils.
The document warned that a risk of the latter choice would be a greater number of water-based accidents and possible deaths, adding: “The most vulnerable children and young people across the city are likely to miss out the most.”
One of the biggest savings, £18.5m, would come from reducing the numbers of teachers by closing schools early on Fridays, affecting 324 roles.
Another £22.5m could be found by revising staffing formulas for primary and secondary schools.
The plan makes clear this would result in “many more” composite classes, higher pupil/teacher ratios and affect 397 teaching posts.
Officials warned this option could affect attainment outcomes for young people and lead to a potential increase in exclusions.
It added: “Depending on the number this will mean no vacancies will be available for newly qualified probationers.”
Over 800 teaching posts would be at risk if all the options for cuts became a reality.
In 2022, there were around 5,725 teachers in Glasgow.
The jobs of over 100 “support for learning” staff, who assist teachers in the classroom, would also be in jeopardy under the plan.
The total value of the education cuts is £51m, by far the biggest chunk of the £68m.
An analysis of the job losses states that they would be expected to be met through early retirement, voluntary redundancy and redeployment.
Seamus Searson, general secretary of the SSTA teachers’ trade union, said: "This would potentially write off the current generation of young people."
"If the council was to go down this road, headteachers would have to teach, class sizes would go up and the choices of subjects would go down.
“Any young person with additional support needs would also be severely affected and it would widen the attainment gap.
“These decisions would cut opportunities for young people who would not fulfil their potential.”
He added: “Teachers would burn out and fall ill. It would become like how the health service is just now.”
Susan Quinn of the EIS trade union in Glasgow said: "Cuts to education are unacceptable at any time, but even more so when schools are focused on supporting education recovery for young people. It would be simply impossible for education in Glasgow to function with the level of cuts proposed.
"These cuts would have a clear detrimental impact on the education of many young people living in areas of high deprivation, with serious and long-lasting consequences for their life chances.
"Education needs more funding, not less, and the Council and Scottish Government both must take responsibility for ensuring that education is protected and properly resourced.”
A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said: "As part of the annual budget-setting process, a cross-party group of councillors works with officers to scrutinise and develop options on where savings and investment could be considered.
"Officers also regularly update a financial forecast; taking into account inflation and the latest information on national settlements.
"The financial challenge facing the council this year is exceptionally tough – with savings of around £68m required, even before pressure on social work and care services are taken into account.
"Political groups will present their budget proposals next month – and it is for them to decide whether they wish to include any of these options.”
The options contained in the document have not been backed by councillors yet.
Glaswegians also face council tax rises at the same time as cuts to services. A three per cent increase would generate £7.2m, with a five per cent hike raising £12m.
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