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Teacher reservists denied time to train by Council
January 17, 2007 3:50 PM
Lib Dems say guidelines undermine vital role of reservists
A Liberal Democrat Member of the House of Commons Defence Select Committee and a former Naval Reservist are calling on the Scottish Executive and Fife Council to review guidelines for teachers who are reservists in the armed forces. Willie Rennie, MP for Dunfermline and West Fife, and Jim Tolson, Lib Dem Scottish Parliamentary Spokesman for Dunfermline West, made the call after a constituent complained that they had been denied time off for important training in the Royal Naval Reserves.
They want the guidelines, which date back to 1995, to be reviewed after he found that teachers were allowed time off for a range of other duties during term time including serving on a River Purification Board but were excluded from partaking in reservist training unless they were a commanding officer or another person holding a key position.
Willie Rennie MP said:
"I was staggered that that the guidelines should be so dismissive of the role of reservists. At a time when our armed forces are overstretched with our commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan the reservists are being increasingly called upon. Reservists are contributing to the security of our country yet the guidelines consider representation on a River Purification Board, which doesn't even exist anymore, more important."
"Of course it is the case that teachers need to be in the classroom teaching but the Scottish Executive and Councils across the country need to consider what benefit this training would be to the quality of the education and the running of the school. In many cases the training would be highly beneficial to the school and ultimately the pupils."
Jim Tolson, who served as a Royal Naval Reservist for several years said:
"Reservists who are teachers will try their best to take part in training in school holidays but this is not always possible. In these cases requests for leave should be considered in the same way as other public duties such as for those who are trade union officials, councillors and - yes - even River Purification Board members!"
Willie Rennie has today written to the Education Minister Hugh Henry, Defence Secretary Des Browne and Fife's Education Spokeswoman Kay Morrison.
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