The Educational Institute of Scotland's committee has voted by 55 to 12 to call off its industrial action for the time being.

The union remains concerned about aspects of the Higher Still programme and will use the newly-formed liaison group set up by the government as a forum for trying to resolve its misgivings.

The institute's boycott of the new courses - known as Higher Still - began three days ago, but the action had already been overtaken by events.

Talks last week involving the union, the government and local councils had arrived at a fragile deal - but too late to prevent the boycott beginning.

Compromise

The deal would allow the new courses to be delayed as the union has argued they should be - if individual colleges, schools or subject departments are not ready.

The executive of the second-largest teaching union - the Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association - is due to meet on Saturday to decide its next move. This week its members voted heavily in favour of a boycott.

The Higher Still programme aims to combine vocational courses with the current academic Higher subjects in a new modular system.

The government says its changes will raise achievement and increase opportunity for pupils. Teachers, while not opposed in principle, complain that the reforms are not ready to be implemented.

Pupils trying to plan their next year are frustrated by the uncertainty surrounding the whole issue.