We need education, not separation, to raise school standards, say Tories
NICOLA Sturgeon was yesterday urged to focus on education rather than separation as the Tories published a detailed blueprint for raising standards in schools.
The Scottish Conservatives today reveal a set of proposals for arresting sliding school standards – on the day Miss Sturgeon launches the SNP’s General Election manifesto.
It calls for a ‘relaunch’ of the failing Curriculum for Excellence, a back-tobasics approach to literacy and numeracy, an increase in teacher numbers and more power for headteachers to decide how to spend money in their schools.
The findings follow a detailed review of the Curriculum for Excellence by the Tories.
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said Miss Sturgeon had broken her promise to make education her ‘number one priority’ as First Minister.
She added: ‘Nicola Sturgeon asked to be judged on education. Standards are down, there is a teacher shortage, we have a curriculum in crisis and our poorest children are being let down. The judgement is in and it is damning.
‘The truth is Nicola Sturgeon has made independence her number one priority. Scotland has had enough. Education, not separation, needs to be the focus. The SNP must act immediately – empty promises of jam tomorrow will not do.
‘This paper sets out the reforms we need to see in our schools. But as long as the SNP bangs on about independence, our schools will suffer. This election is the last chance to send the SNP a message to get back to the day job.’
The paper supports a return to ‘traditional teaching methods’ to address a decline in performance in the ‘Three Rs’ of reading, writing and arithmetic.
Carol Monaghan, the SNP’s candidate for Glasgow North West, said: ‘Education is our number one priority in Government and last year we received an overwhelming mandate for our radical and ambitious plans to reform schools and drive up standards.
‘We are getting on with that job, while the Tories desperately use independence as a smokescreen to hide their appalling record – and their plans to hit Scottish households with yet more austerity.’