Scottish Green MSPs will 'push' for 4000 extra teachers in the next Scottish Parliament, the party has pledged.

The teachers would be hired across all sectors in education. Green MSPs will also oppose standardised testing in schools and guarantee that no one leaves secondary education without a job, a training place or a place in further education.

Other pledges include:

Green co-convener Patrick Harvie stated his ambition is to see his party return MSPs in every region in next month's election.

Harvie said: "We now have the capacity out there in communities right across Scotland, in every one of Scotland's eight electoral regions, to return Green MSPs to represent all of Scotland."

He continued: "We have got the opportunity to return a strong, bold group of Green MSPs into the next parliament. Because even if, even if, the SNP are still the biggest party after the election there remains a critical question about who is holding them to account. Who is bringing that pressure to bear?

"I don't think it should be just those who wave a finger and say 'everything they do is terrible'. I don't think it should be those and I think parties like the Labour Party are guilty of that."

The party will fund their pledges through increased taxation which they claim will generate £1bn.

The party also reaffirmed its support for independence.

The manifesto sets out that a second referendum should be initiated through a citizen-based petition.

Green co-convener Maggie Chapman said that the future of Scotland must rest in with the people not politicians.

Chapman said: "One of the things we have been very clear about is that the future of Scotland should be in the Scottish people's hands. We have suggested in the past that we need a citizens' initiative. We need a much more engaged and participative approach to deciding Scotland's constitutional future.

"That remains our position. We want to see the future of Scotland decided by the Scottish people and through processes like citizens' initiatives. When there are enough people clamouring for that next referendum then we will give it our full support".

Chapman also stated that the party's support for independence "remains strong".