Swinney accused of ‘burying bad news’
He shelves his Education Bill as the Cabinet is reshuffled
JOHN Swinney has been forced to shelve plans for the biggest shakeup of Scotland’s education system in decades after criticism from teachers, parents and opponents.
The Education Secretary announced yesterday he would not move forward with the new Education Bill – despite previous claims the flagship policy would offer a boost to classrooms.
Mr Swinney tried to claim dropping the legislation would allow him to ‘fast track’ changes in schools – but critics branded his handling of the reforms a ‘shambles’.
The announcement came as the First Minister carried out the biggest Cabinet reshuffle since the SNP came to power. A Scottish Tory spokesman said: ‘Many will think John Swinney saw an opportunity to bury a bit of bad news today.’
Last year, Nicola Sturgeon claimed the new Bill would ‘deliver the biggest and most radical change to how our schools are run’. It would have given powers to headteachers over the curriculum, funding and recruitment, as well as disbanding the General Teaching Council Scotland and creating an Education Workforce Council.
Scottish Tory education spokesman Liz Smith said: ‘Nicola Sturgeon told us education would be her number one priority. John Swinney said this would be his flagship Bill. Today they have shown how committed they are.’
The Tories had been the only party at Holyrood willing to back the reforms – but Mr Swinney revealed he will no longer need their support as he plans to ditch the legislation. But he has warned the Bill could still be introduced if ‘sufficient progress’ is not made over the next year.
Mr Swinney said the decision came after reaching a ‘landmark agreement’ with councils to create the ‘opportunity to fast-track education reforms’.
He added: ‘The Scottish Government and local councils have reached an agreement that endorses and embraces the principles of school empowerment and provides clear commitment to a school and teacher-led education system. And it does so without the need to wait 18 months for an Education Bill.’
But Miss Smith said: ‘This could have been the best chance in a generation to make improvements to schools, handing real power to headteachers to improve literacy and numeracy. Instead, the plans have been dumped.
‘The problem is Nicola Sturgeon won’t allow her party to work with the Scottish Conservatives, so schools are made to suffer.
‘That’s the SNP in a nutshell: they care more about their own party political games than they do about Scotland’s schools. Parents, teachers and young people will wonder what on Earth is going on. It is a shambles.’
Scottish Labour education spokesman Iain Gray, said: ‘What a shambles from John Swinney.
‘This was the First Minister’s top priority, her sacred obligation, now reduced to just another lastminute, cobbled together action plan. The only thing being fasttracked here is the mother of all ministerial climb downs.’
Lib Dem education spokesman Tavish Scott said: ‘Nicola Sturgeon has repeatedly said education is her number one priority but she couldn’t even be bothered to turn up to see her legislative centrepiece vanish like lines off a classroom smartboard.
‘This Bill has faced criticism from teachers, unions and even the SNP’s own advisers. It should be discarded, not left hanging over the heads of councils.’
But Mr Swinney insisted the agreement with councils ‘enables us to empower schools faster than through legislation’.
‘What on Earth is going on? It is a shambles’