Highland Teacher Absences, Nairn Housing Development Spark Concerns

New houses could overwhelm old sewers. A new housing project plans hundreds of homes. These homes will send sewage to Nairn’s treatment plant. That plant already struggles with sewage spills.

An article detailed these issues in April. Adding more waste seems like a bad idea. A 2010 report supports this concern.

That report discussed the Nairn treatment plant. It said the plant had limited capacity. More waste could risk beach quality. It also noted expansion was difficult. Nairn may have improved since then.

Still, many new homes increased demand. Spills suggest the plant is stressed now. Why not send new sewage to Ardersier? Ardersier has a newer, bigger treatment plant. Time and money matter, of course. But those shouldn’t worsen pollution problems.

Teacher absences are also a worry. Highland Council teachers missed many work days. This high absence rate raised concerns.

A teacher shared her thoughts on the issue. She said teaching changed a lot recently. She cited disrespect and student unpreparedness. She blamed social media and phone usage. Smaller classes could help. Staff turnover is high at some schools.