PARENTS in Dunfermline have voiced their frustrations as more strike dates have been announced by teaching unions.

Pupils in the city have already faced three days of targeted industrial action, and two days of national walkouts and school closures, with another phase due to run next week.

This will be followed by 20 days of rolling strikes across the country, confirmed in Fife by Scotland's largest teaching union, the EIS, to be held on April 17 in all schools, April 18 in secondary schools, and April 19 in primary schools.

One dad, who did not want to be named and has a child at Queen Anne High School, said: "It's a sense of helplessness as parents.

"Our daughter has suffered like all young people because of lockdowns and now as parents we feel our children are being unfairly impacted by the situation through no fault of their own.

"This week and next will result in four weeks of not having five days in education, first because of half term, and that has been successive Wednesdays where our daughter has not had subjects taught.

"I do have sympathy, teachers play a fundamental key role, but that sympathy has eroded and children are losing out.

"Our daughter is thankfully bright and clever but that doesn't mean she's not suffering."

Another parent, who also did not want to be identified, has a child at Woodmill High School and has expressed frustration at the EIS, who he believes should not be disrupting the education of children unfairly.

Schools in Dunfermline were targeted as part of an escalation in the pay dispute - unions rejected the Scottish Government's latest offer which would have represented an 11.5 per cent rise over two years - due to the area being the constituency of Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville.

The dad, whose child will sit SQA exams this Spring, said: "Certainly from a targeted perspective I don't think that's fair as it punishes kids because of who their MSP is.

"As a parent I understand people calling for additional salaries because of the cost of living.

"But it is morally wrong to target specific children and schools just because of their MSP, there is chatter amongst out children's friend group asking why they are being targeted.

"Children never voted for the MSP and having some children suffer more than others for the greater good seems wrong to me."

Both parents said that there had been little support available during strike days, with pupils urged to access online materials to keep up with their studies.

The second said there had been help available on a year by year basis at Woodmill during the targeted action, though that didn't continue on days where schools were closed nationally.

"That's one of my frustrations," he said. "They've come out of prelims in January, have exams in May, and March is a write off.

"What opportunity do they have to identify where there might be weaknesses, address those, and figure out what's still to be taught?"

The EIS says that targeted strike action was not a decision which was taken lightly by leaders, who are elected teacher activists and union members.

A spokesperson said: "Teachers are committed professionals who do not wish to be on strike.

"However, their pay claim was submitted more than a year ago and neither the Scottish Government nor local authority employers in COSLA, took the claim seriously in the nine months of negotiations between the claim being submitted and the first strike day in November.

"Striking was therefore a last resort at that point and in the year since the submission of the pay claim, the EIS has consistently sought to negotiate an acceptable end to this dispute.

"In the face of lack of commitment from the higher levels of both the Scottish Government and COSLA, the EIS Executive Committee decided to escalate the action by targeting the key Scottish Government and COSLA decision-makers who, so far, have been holding back in making the best possible offer to teachers.

"It is hoped that the reality of this targeted action within their constituency areas will apply sufficient additional pressure on the key decision-makers to bring forth a sufficiently improved pay offer quickly."

They added that the most recent offer, though "unacceptable", had shown progress and effect of strike action.

The union has encouraged all parents to raise their concerns with local MSPs and councillors as well as other Holyrood representatives.

Speaking recently, Ms Somerville said the disruption to young people's education is "completely unacceptable".

She said: "I have asked the teaching unions to resume pay talks urgently. I am offering meetings with the Deputy First Minister or myself each and every day this week, if necessary, to make progress on this."

The Dunfermline MSP was asked about the potential impact on exams when she appeared on the BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme on Tuesday.

She said: "We are working to ensure that children and young people will be able to sit their exams, that the exam diet continues."

Targeted strike action will again take place in the city from March 7 to 9.