SCIENCE lessons in schools are being underfunded by £8 million annually, according to experts.

The prestigious Learned Societies Group, which includes the Royal Society of Edinburgh, has estimated the annual science budget of an average secondary school should be some £30,000 - five times more than the actual average budget of £5,590.

Across Scotland's 364 secondary schools that would mean an annual budget of £10m compared to the £2m spent according to estimates from the Learned Societies Group.

The figures have been calculated as part of a new report by the group - which also includes the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Institute of Physics and the Society of Biology - which has been submitted to an inquiry into the issue by the Scottish Parliament's education committee.

The Learned Societies Group, which was set up in 2012, has already produced a damning report into school science which found that resource levels were not sufficient to "fully and effectively" meet the requirements of the curriculum.

The report states: "The survey findings indicate that science resourcing levels in primary and secondary schools in Scotland might be insufficient to fully and effectively meet the requirements of the curriculum.

"The issue does not simply relate to the apparent poor state of equipment and consumables, but also disparities between schools in terms of how budgets are allocated, the amount of classroom and technician support, teacher confidence and access to additional funding such as grants.

"The amount of money that each school allocates to science appears to be dictated by a range of competing priorities. This could well explain the variation in forecasts given for whether science spend is likely to increase or decrease over the next 12 months."

The report found secondary schools in particular were concerned that changes to the curriculum required ever more sophisticated and up-to-date resources, but current funding levels did now allow them to modernise equipment.

The report added: "A further indicator that funding levels for practical science are insufficient is that the vast majority of both primary and secondary schools draw on additional and alternative sources of funding for normal and extra-curricular practical activities.

"Parental contributions are the most common source among primary schools for extra-curricular activities, and staff contributions the most common among secondary schools for normal-curricular activities."

A Scottish Government spokesman said the figures did not include everything that was spent on science in schools and insisted ministers recognised the importance of science subjects as part of the wider curriculum.

He said: "As well as the wider education budget provided to local authorities, we also continue to provide a range of support for the teaching of STEM subjects.

"We provide direct funding of £900,000 per annum to the Scottish Schools Education Research Centre to support the professional learning of primary and secondary teachers, which includes a programme for primary teachers to raise their confidence and skills in science.

"Curriculum body Education Scotland is developing a national STEM project, to encourage and support clusters to effectively plan for and deliver improvements in their schools. Currently working in four local authorities this will help develop a framework which can be used on a national basis."

The survey by the Learned Societies Group found that in the primary sector 58 per cent of staff felt they did not have sufficient equipment, 44 per cent were dissatisfied with funding for science practical work, 98 per cent drew on additional funding sources for practical activities, with parental funding being most common for extra-curricular activities.

In the secondary sector, 57 per cent of teachers felt they did not have sufficient equipment, 82 per cent were not confident in sufficient resourcing for practical work over the next two years and 98 per cent drew on additional funding sources for practical activities, with teachers being the most frequent contributors.

The Learned Societies Group 's chairwoman, Professor Sally Brown, said: "Taking part in science practical work at school is an essential part of the learning process. It demonstrates the essence of science and the scientific method as it underpins the skills that young people need and the country is seeking.

"We have to ensure that their experiences at school are the very best and we know that much work has still to be done before this will be achieved."