Do pupils REALLY need lessons in how to take out the bins?

CHILDREN are to be taught how to take out the bins under plans to boost their ‘life skills’.

Officials at West Dunbartonshire Council said it was also important for pupils to be able to do their own washing.

An education committee report called for ‘more [to] be done to prepare young people who are travelling for study, or having to live away from home’.

The local authority wants to boost the number of children going into higher education or jobs – and believes bolstering life skills while they are still at school could help.

Last night Scottish Tory education spokesman Oliver Mundell said: ‘No one doubts the benefits of teaching our youngsters basic life skills.

‘However, eyebrows will be raised by parents at education time and resources being spent on this within our schools when they could easily explain such things to their kids at home.

‘Given the widening attainment gap in our schools on the SNP’s watch, there should be an expectation that the focus should be more on ensuring that our pupils reach the required standards in reading, writing and arithmetic.’

The bin lessons are part of plans by education bosses to increase the number of school leavers going on to ‘positive destinations’.

In 2021, 91 per cent of school leavers in the area went to university or college, or took on an apprenticeship or work.

A report brought before the education committee last week raised questions about preparing young people who are moving away from home for the first time. Council leader Martin Rooney said: ‘The report states that more should be done to prepare young people travelling for study or moving away from home. Is that a responsibility that falls to the council, families or the Scottish Government?’

Officials said the council wanted to support young people who were not prepared for the general life skills required from them.

Senior education officer Laura Mason said: ‘We really can’t underestimate that.

‘It can be as simple as taking a bin out, putting on their own washing, budgeting their money to put tea on the table.

‘Maybe we need to include that in our senior curriculum to help all young people leaving home.’

Last night, a West Dunbartonshire Council spokesman said: ‘We are committed to ensuring our senior pupils leave school with the necessary life skills to ensure a smooth transition from school into their next stage of learning or work.’

Last year research revealed nine in ten parents think their teenagers lack domestic skills such as bed-making, ironing, vacuuming and cleaning a toilet.

The research was carried out by Premier Inn, which has launched its Life Skills Academy to help teenagers tackle housework.

‘Focus on writing and arithmetic’