The decision, which was made at the council's 2006/07 budget meeting on 9 February, means nursery school teachers will be removed from their current posts at the end of June.
Aileen Scullion, a nursery school headteacher and Glasgow chairperson of the Educational Institute of Scotland, said, 'This decision is very bad news for young learners in Glasgow. It has always been my position that children learn best when they have access to the skills of both nursery teachers and child development officers.'
Ms Scullion also said she was 'very worried' that the council's decision would set a precedent. 'Given the financial climate across Scotland, it may not be long before other councils decide to follow suit.
'This could represent the end of the profession across the whole of Scotland. With the low number of nursery teachers left, there will be nobody left who is able to cover for an absent headteacher and there will be no-one available to provide student placements.'
Glasgow City Council defended the move, which is expected to save around Pounds 370,000. A spokeswoman said, 'Each of our nursery schools will continue to be led by its head teacher.
'In addition to this professional leadership, our nursery schools now have the benefit of the wide remit and skills of the child development officers, also a well-qualified group of professionals. There is no question of downgrading our service.
'There is no requirement in private nurseries for qualified teaching staff to be in place. In many instances, Glasgow City Council nurseries will continue to have more qualified teaching staff than their private counterparts,' she added.
The council confirmed that there would be no job losses and all the nursery teachers would be redeployed to primary schools.
