EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan will stand down from his post in the summer, following a decade as the Institute’s top official. Here, Larry explains his decision to move on and outlines what he will be doing in the future.

Why have you decided to step down as EIS General Secretary?

I have been in post for 10 years now, which I think is a significant term of office. When you combine that with the fact that I will be 67 at the point of my retirement, that Tricia and I have just become grandparents (which is magic), and that my work as ETUCE President is taking up more time, this seemed liked an appropriate point to hand over to someone new to take the Union forward in a post Covid period.

You mention your Presidency of ETUCE; what does that entail?

ETUCE is the European region of Education International and has 117 teacher union affiliates with over 11 million members. As President, which is an unpaid post, I chair most of the committees and represent ETUCE within the EU and more broadly within the European trade union movement, so it is a significant demand on my time. I only really took on the post knowing that I would be stepping aside from the General Secretary role, although Covid and online meetings perhaps delayed that decision, as I don’t think I could simultaneously accommodate all the demands of both posts effectively.

Dealing with the situation in Ukraine, for example, the plight of our affiliate there, and the needs of the displaced refugees in the bordering countries is a major issue at the current time.

Looking back, what would feature in your memorable moments as Gen Sec?

It’s been a great honour to serve as EIS General Secretary and I have enjoyed all aspects of it, not least meeting with members and activists and hearing what they think and what they have been doing. I suppose the Value Education Value Teachers pay campaign would be a singular highlight, as that was an invigorating time with strong member engagement and of course a significant win for the union. Also, I would express enormous pride in the heroic response of our members to the challenges of Covid and offer a special thanks to our school and branch reps and our LA Secretaries, all of whom worked tirelessly to try to keep members safe and pupils supported, as did EIS staff members.

Downsides?

It’s disappointing, and ultimately damaging I think, that everything in Scottish education is viewed politically through a binary lens linked to the independence question – praise for any government education initiative is seen as a proxy endorsement of independence and equally, some people in a desire to criticise the SNP government, create a narrative of failure around our school system which undermines the substantial work of teachers. Neither perspective is accurate – in truth we have a robust education system delivered by highly qualified, highly motivated staff who deserve better from our politicians. That’s why the empowerment agenda is so important. Our greatest expertise lies within our schools (and indeed with lecture rooms at college and higher education level); trusting teachers to deliver for pupils should be the bedrock of Scotland’s education system.

Any advice for your successor?

There are big issues looming – the cost-of-living crisis and the pay campaign; the long overdue reform of qualifications; the challenge of seeing empowered schools become a reality – I’m sure my successor will have her own take on how to address these matters and I wish her well. The only advice I would venture to offer, is to trust the membership – everything flows from that.