STRESS levels amongst teaching staff will “get a whole lot worse” unless action is taken to increase numbers and reduce workload.

That’s the warning from teaching union EIS, who were responding to figures obtained under freedom of information by Scottish Labour, which stated that, between 2015/16 and 2017/18, time off due to stress had surged by 44 per cent, with the equivalent of 14,226 work days lost in the last three years.

Their candidate for Dunfermline and West Fife, Cara Hilton, called for the SNP to “start investing in our teachers” but, while Fife Council acknowledged that the figures “look alarming”, they said stress covered a “range of mental health issues”, and that work-related stress made up “less than 20 per cent of the cases quoted”.

Ms Hilton said: “Since 2007, the number of teachers has fallen across Scotland by more than 3,500 under the SNP, whilst school budgets have been slashed by £400 million, heaping pressure on the teaching profession.”

David Farmer, of Fife EIS, commented: “There are no surprises in terms of these figures released under freedom of information.

“Unless real attempts are made to address workload, teacher numbers and issues around behaviour management, then things will get a whole lot worse.”

But Councillor Fay Sinclair, education and children’s services convener, said: “While these figures look alarming, it is important to note that absence recorded as ‘stress’ covers a range of mental health issues including mood disorders, sleep problems, anxiety disorders and chronic fatigue.

"In fact, work-related stress makes up less than 20 per cent of the cases quoted and amount to around 0.3 days off per teacher last year.

“That’s not to seek to minimise the impact of stress on teachers, and the council is continually reviewing the range of support available.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson added: “We are providing £112 million this year specifically to fund councils to maintain teacher numbers, including the 2017 teachers’ pay award.

"In addition, 2,864 newly qualified probationer teachers started on the Teacher Induction Scheme in August 2017 – 231 more than last year.

“There are now more primary and secondary teachers than at any time since 2014 and the ratio of pupils to teachers is at its lowest since 2013.”