Almost 100 Dundee primary and secondary school teachers have been signed off due to stress, new figures have revealed.
Last year 55 primary and 37 secondary teachers in the city were absent as a result of the illness – a rise of more than 20% from the previous year
In 2019/20 a total of 71 primary and secondary teachers were signed off due to stress.
Dundee also had the highest the number of teachers signed off for stress in 2020/21 when compared with the other council areas in Tayside.
How does this compare to other areas?
The figures – obtained by the Scottish Conservatives – show in Angus there were 31 teachers signed off due to stress in 2020/21 – 22 primary teachers and nine secondary teachers.
In Perth and Kinross, the total number of teachers signed off for stress was 33. This was made up of 18 primary and 15 secondary teachers.
Fife had the highest number of teachers off due to stress in this period, with 59 primary and 59 secondary teachers signed off.
This, however, was down on 2019/20 when there were 160 teachers across Fife signed off due to stress.
Stress figures are “deeply worrying”
Maurice Golden, MSP for the North East Scotland region, said the figures showed the “increasing demands” placed on teachers was having a negative impact on their wellbeing.
He said: “To have so many teachers absent as result of stress is deeply worrying and Dundee City Council along with the Scottish Government must ensure they are sensitive to the needs of their teaching staff.
“The alarming rise in the number of teachers signed off highlights that the situation is getting worse not better.”
“It’s clear that increasing demands in the classroom coupled with falling staff numbers are having a negative impact on the wellbeing of our teachers.
“This also has a substantial impact on the individual student’s education.
“Supply and cover teachers are more than capable but nothing can replicate the rapport of the teachers who are off ill.”
A Dundee City Council spokesman said: “The council has well-established absence management procedures in our Health and Wellbeing Framework, and we also provide early intervention support.
“There are many different reasons for the causes of stress and absence which are not all work related. We work with people to help them with their own individual situation and offer assistance to them.”
