CONCERNS have been raised about about the impact of cuts to additional support needs across Dumfries and Galloway in the current round of council budget proposals.
The region’s EIS has heavily criticised the decision and state that their research shows that additional support needs numbers have significantly increased across the nation over the past few years.
Local Association secretary Andrew O’Halloran said: “More pupils than ever before are being diagnosed with some form of additional support need, yet this area of education provision has been earmarked for further cuts.
“National EIS research shows that there is only one additional support needs teacher to 89 ASN pupils across Scotland and that there has been a 10 per cent increase in additional numbers over the last decade.
At least 37 per cent of pupils in schools in Scotland now have an additional support need.
“This, along with other cuts to educational psychology and education visitors’ services make this budget an omnishambles and will prevent Dumfries and Galloway turning the tide on low attainment. We are asking elected members to bin these proposals.”
