Teachers in Ayrshire face mounting workload due to Covid pandemic, reveals EIS study

Teachers returning to Ayrshire classrooms this week are facing a mounting workload due to the Covid pandemic, according to a new survey.Union bosses at the EIS have found 88 per cent of its workforce are now under an "increasing burden".And one MSP reckons that is only set to get worse as pupils prepare to return.Scottish Labour's Colin Smyth, who represents South Scotland, said teachers deserved praise for going the extra mile.He said: “As schools return after the festive break, we owe our teachers a huge debt of gratitude."They have gone way beyond the call of duty to teach our children in incredibly difficult circumstances but that is taking its toll as the EIS survey exposes.The Ayrshire Live app is available to download now.Get all the local news in your area – plus features, football news and the latest on the coronavirus crisis – at your fingertips 24/7.The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories while you can customise your page with the sections that matter to you.The Ayrshire Live app is available to download now on iOS and Android."The government say they are keeping our schools open but they are doing it on the on the backs of overworked and under-resourced teachers."There isn’t a teacher in the region who won’t recognise the survey findings and the big fear is the workload pressures it highlights are going to get worse."We’re told by the government not to mix with more than three households but this week our teachers will be sent back to mix with 30 different households every hour with no meaningful investment by the government in areas such as ventilation in the classroom."Along with the rules on self-isolation, that will mean we will have significant absences, so fewer and