TEACHERS in the Wee County walked out last week as part of nationwide strikes in both primary and secondary schools.

Educators took to the picket lines in a dispute over pay on Tuesday, January 10, at primaries and at secondaries on Wednesday, January 11.

With no sign of forward movement between the EIS, NASUWT and AHDS unions and the Scottish Government and the local authority group, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA), both primaries and secondaries could again close on Wednesday, February 1.

In Clackmannanshire, teachers were pictured outside Redwell PS on the day.

Primary and stand alone ELC provisions remained open, however, staffed by non-teachers.

The local authority said it will support families who are free school meal registered and a payment will be made to the parent/carer of each child in February".

Picket lines were in place around the country and Andrea Bradley, EIS general secretary, said last week: "Despite their warm words over the past week, the Scottish Government and COSLA have again failed to come to the table with a new pay offer to Scotland's teachers.

"Our members are not prepared to accept the repeatedly reheated sub-inflationary offer that has now been sitting around for six months, and that is neither fair nor affordable for teachers.

"In the absence of an improved offer, our members will continue with strike action from Monday of next week, in their struggle for fair pay."

Schools in Glasgow and East Lothian closed on Monday as the action continued.

Last week, COSLA said it remained in discussion with trade unions.

Cllr Katie Hagmann, COSLA spokesperson for resources, said: "I am pleased that we continue to be in proactive discussions with our trade union and Scottish Government partners as we endeavour to find areas for agreement.

"Strikes in education are in nobody's interest and all parties are eager to seek a resolution that not only protects the teaching and wider local government workforce, but also our children and young people's educational experience.

"COSLA leaders are clear that given the financial pressures being faced it remains the case that the 10 per cent ask of the trade unions remains unaffordable and therefore we still remain a distance apart in terms of a settlement."