Education remains a priority, Deputy First Minister John Swinney says
John Swinney has insisted education is the Scottish government's priority.
The deputy first minister said councils would have to be "open to the concept of public sector reform".
A teaching union chief had claimed some school subjects would have to scrapped as a result of the Scottish government's budget.
Jim Thewliss, general secretary of School Leaders Scotland, also said the number of pupils per class would also rise, with teacher vacancies to remain unfilled.
It comes as Cosla warned of job losses and service cuts in local authorities.
