Refugee education scheme scrapped

A PROJECT to help refugees qualify as teachers in Scotland is to be scrapped in March.

Funding for Refugees into Teaching has helped more than 300 qualified people enter the classroom since it was set up in 2005.

Ann Ballinger, general secretary of the Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association, said: "Refugees bring a huge benefit to education, introducing variety of culture and experience and this will inevitably be to the detriment of pupil experience."

Simon Hodgson, Scottish Refugee Council's director of policy and communications, said: "This is very disappointing news as the project was an extremely valuable one which helped many talented teachers with a refugee background find positions within Scottish schools."

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "There was never a guarantee funding could be extended beyond 2010-11, but the door is by no means shut for refugee teachers."