Statistics released by Scottish National Party show that in January 2007only 54.6 per cent of settings had a teacher registered with the GeneralTeaching Council, compared with 56.3 per cent in 2006.
But the figures also show that the number of qualified pre-schoolteachers has increased from 2,070 to 2,110.
In some areas, such as West Dunbartonshire and Moray, less than 20 percent of local authority settings have a qualified teacher on theirstaff, while 93 per cent do in Midlothian region.
Ronnie Smith, general secretary of teaching union the EducationalInstitute for Scotland, said, 'The rise in the number of nursery schoolsand classes operating without a qualified nursery teacher is of hugeconcern. While we acknowledge that the Scottish government has chosen toprioritise areas of deprivation, the EIS believes that all youngchildren should have an equal right to be taught by a qualified nurseryteacher.'
A spokesperson for the Scottish government said of the figures, 'Whilethere has been a fall in the number of settings who have a qualifiedpre-school teacher on staff, these figures do not take into accountfunding announced in June 2007 for 300 extra pre-school and primaryteachers. We would expect to see a rise in future years.'
