SCHOOLS across Fife will be closed tomorrow (Wednesday) as the latest strike action takes place.

The closures are part of an ongoing pay dispute between teaching unions and the Scottish Government.

Unions have demanded a 10 per cent pay increase but the Scottish Government has offered five per cent, including rises of up to 6.85 per cent for the lowest-paid staff.

The dispute saw schools close for a day last week and Fife teachers will return to the picket lines tomorrow after both parties have failed to find an agreement.

Fife EIS spokesperson Graeme Keir expressed disappointment that a resolution had not yet been found.

"We don't want to be closing schools and having that impact on kids but we don't feel we have many options," he said. "We have members in serious inward poverty and there is not real end in sight. Fuel bills are going up, fixed rate mortgages are coming to an end and you have got to find the money.

"We are very confused as to what the Scottish Government policy is. They are wanting to talk – and we are happy to talk – but it is not going to be resolved unless there is more money. They don't seem to come up with the money.

"We feel like the education secretary Shirley Anne Somerville has gone on strike and not told anybody. Noone is really aware. Compared to the last education secretary who was very proactive, since she has been in post, she has been doing very little. She seems to be good at spin and misrepresenting the pay offers and misrepresenting what teachers are asking for."

Teachers are set to gather on Wednesday afternoon at a rally being held at the Rothes Hall in Glenrothes.

Speakers from the STUC, the Fire Brigade's Union and Unison will all be in attendance.

Graeme added: "I think it'll be very interesting to hear how all the unions are working to support each other. It is making the point it is not just teachers who are needing a pay rise. There are a lot of people we want to support in getting pay rises because it makes a difference to teaching if the kids in front of you come from a warm house and have full bellies and are not picking up stress from their mums and dads which we are seeing at the moment because of the cost of living crisis."

Ahead of last week's strikes, Dunfermline MSP and education secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville, said she was keen to reach a "fair and affordable" deal.

"We are open to considering options to resolve this dispute, through the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT), and potential scope for compromise," she said. "I recognise that any deal must be fair and affordable for all concerned, given the unprecedented pressures facing Scotland's budget.

“Strikes in our schools are in no-one’s interest – including for pupils, parents and carers who have already had to deal with significant disruption over the past three years.”