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Call for more STEM teachers in Scotland

The Scottish government must take action to reverse a decline in the number of science and maths teachers, which has taken place at the same time as more pupils are studying the subjects, according to the Scottish Conservatives.

Liz Smith, the party’s young people spokeswoman, quoted academic forecasts that seven million jobs in the UK would be wholly dependent on STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) expertise by 2030, with Scottish demand likely to be disproportionately high.

Like other campaigners, including business leaders, Ms Smith attributed a prolonged drop in pupils studying STEM subjects beyond school to the decline in teacher numbers.

“It is plainly obvious that we must do everything we can to ensure we are able to provide a highly trained workforce which has these skills, but at present our ability to achieve this is being hampered,” she told MSPs.

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