Scotland’s computing science education is facing a deepening crisis, with teacher numbers at record lows and experts warning of severe consequences for the nation’s digital economy.
Recent data reveals a 25% drop in computing science teachers since 2008, with only 578 teachers remaining in 2023—the lowest figure since records began. More than 32,000 pupils, or one in eight secondary students, now attend a school with no qualified computing science teacher, and 66 secondary schools across Scotland have no computing science provision at all. The situation is even worse in rural areas: in Dumfries & Galloway and the Highlands, around half of all schools lack a single qualified computing science teacher.
Professor Mark Logan, the Scottish Government’s chief entrepreneurial adviser, described the situation starkly: “We have computing science deserts in Scotland. In the north of Scotland [Highland] half of our schools have no qualified computing science teacher. In the south of Scotland, two-thirds of our schools [ten out of 16 in Dumfries and Galloway] have no qualified computing science teacher. That adds up to a bad, static picture. I mean, to me it sounds like a crisis. But it is worse than that, because you’ve got to look at the trends with these things.”
The pipeline for new teachers is drying up. In 2023, only 16 students began postgraduate teacher training in computing science, against a government target of 52. This shortfall compounds an ageing workforce: “There were about eight times more computing science teachers over the age of 55 as under 25,” Professor Logan told MSPs, warning of a “demographic timebomb.”
Polly Purvis, former Chief Executive of ScotlandIS, said: “We are continuing to lose computing teachers faster than we can recruit and train new ones.”
The crisis is not limited to teachers. Student enrolment in computing science has also fallen sharply, with an 11% drop since 2005 and a 65% decline in pupils studying the subject between 2001 and 2020. Only 17% of Highers in the subject were awarded to girls in 2021, highlighting a persistent gender gap.
Industry leaders are sounding the alarm. Gareth Williams, founder of Skyscanner and a trustee of Reform Scotland, warned: “Countries that lag behind in enhancing the computational skills of their workforce will increasingly struggle to compete in the modern world. It is vital that we address the issues impeding children’s education in computer science, and that Scotland wakes up to how important this is.”
Liam Kerr MSP, Scottish Conservative shadow education secretary, called the latest figures “an urgent wake-up call” and warned: “The implications of a lack of computing teachers will be devastating for our young people and their futures, for the other teachers in our schools continuing to do their best to cover the shortfall, and of course for the Scottish economy.”
Scotland’s digital sector is a major economic driver, contributing nearly £5 billion to the economy and employing around 100,000 people. Yet, half of Scottish digital employers report difficulty recruiting skilled staff, and around 10,000 IT vacancies go unfilled each year. The skills gap is growing, with only 5,000 of the 13,000 new tech jobs created annually filled by Scots graduates.
Polly Purvis warned: “As the whole world goes digital it is essential that Scotland develops the technology products and services of the future. Our economic prosperity will depend on making sure all our young people can be skilled contributors to the technology workforce. If we don’t address the issue we will fall behind, as other countries are prioritising the teaching of computer science in schools.”
Despite government initiatives, including bursaries and funding for digital education, critics argue these measures are insufficient to reverse the decline. Michael Marra MSP, Scottish Labour’s education spokesperson, said: “This does not amount to even a sticking plaster for the massive cut in education resources that will only see the crisis in computing science and digital skills under this government increase.”
If current trends continue, Scotland faces a widening digital skills gap, limiting economic growth and innovation. The inability to fill tech vacancies will undermine national aspirations for digital transformation and could see Scotland fall behind global competitors. Companies may be forced to relocate, and young people will miss out on high-value career opportunities, further eroding the talent pipeline and threatening the future of Scotland’s tech industry.
