The EIS has written to Western Isles Council to demand that the authority desist from misrepresenting the union’s position on remote learning in an apparent attempt to justify the council’s proposals to reduce teacher involvement in online learning provision.

The EIS has previously raised serious concerns about the proposals from Western Isles Council, and remains firmly opposed to plans which would reduce the role of the teacher in remote learning and dilute the quality of education available to young people in the Western Isles.

In the letter to Western Isles Council, EIS Assistant Secretary Andrea Bradley states: “It has been brought to my attention that Western Isles Council is apparently quite deliberately misconstruing on social media and press releases, comments that I made in last week’s evidence session of the Education, Children and Young People’s Committee of the Scottish Parliament, regarding education recovery, in order to justify what the EIS considers to be an indefensible move to dilute the quality of education within the authority.”

Ms Bradley continues, “The EIS wishes Western Isles Council to desist from such twisting of my words on behalf of the EIS, immediately. To be absolutely clear, the EIS does not in any way consider the moves by the council to deny learners the experience of quality, in-person learning with their peers and their teachers an acceptable approach to education recovery.”

Ms Bradley’s letter goes on to add, “If there was one thing that the pandemic has underlined, it is the importance of young people being able to engage with their teachers and their friends face to face, in school buildings, to support their learning and their mental health and wellbeing.

“Online learning was an emergency provision in direct response to a public health crisis. There should be no cynical attempts to use it as we emerge from the pandemic and look towards recovery, as a cheap substitute for vital in-person learning and teaching.”