Sharp decline in STEM teacher numbers

Scottish Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Willie Rennie MSP has today urged ministers to repair the crisis in STEM teaching as new figures revealed that there has been a sharp decline in the number of Maths, Physics, Computing and Technical Education teachers since the SNP came to power.

Supplementary Statistics for Schools, produced by the Scottish Government and analysed by the Scottish Liberal Democrats, reveal that:

• The number of Computing Studies teachers in secondary schools has fallen from 766 in 2008 to 578 in 2023- a 25% decrease and the lowest level since these records began.
• The number of Maths teachers in secondary schools has fallen from 2,787 in 2008 to 2,456 in 2023- a 12% decrease.
• The number of Technical Education teachers in secondary schools has fallen from 1,345 in 2008 to 1,192 in 2023- an 11% decrease and the lowest level since these records began.
• The number of Physics teachers in secondary schools has fallen from 887 in 2008 to 814 in 2023- an 8% decrease.

Mr Rennie said:

“It’s extremely troubling to see such a sharp decline in STEM subject teachers.

“These subjects open the doors to industries of the future but with so few teachers now specialising in them and no sign of action to encourage more teachers into the workforce, the SNP are creating a vicious cycle that diminishes the skills of future generations and undermines teacher recruitment for years to come.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats want to end this crisis, and that’s why we would bring back principal teachers for every STEM subject, giving young people better access to these subjects, and guarantee teachers stable contracts they can depend on.”