Government shelves law to reform schools

EDUCATION: News of decision to make changes without legislation sparks opposition attacks

Controversial legislation to reform Scotland’s schools has been put on hold, the Scottish Government has said.

Education Secretary John Swinney said that by not proceeding with the Education (Scotland) Bill at this time, he was “fasttracking” changes for teachers and pupils, arguing these could be brought in quickly without changing the law.

But opposition MSPS, seizing on First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s vow to make closing the attainment gap her top priority immediately attacked the move.

Tory education spokeswoman Liz Smith said: “Is the Cabinet secretary not embarrassed by this complete shambles of a U-turn?”

News that the legislation would be put on hold came after the government’s expert body, the International Council of Education Advisers, urged it to “keep any legislative interventions to a minimum”.

The Bill proposed sweeping reforms in schools, including a Head Teachers’ Charter, giving heads more power over the curriculum, recruitment and budgets.

Initial plans also included disbanding the General Teaching Council of Scotland and transferring its functions to a new Education Workforce Council – but Mr Swinney said he now accepted the “strength of feeling” to keep the GTCS.

While he said the Scottish Government would not introduce the Bill “at this time” he would return to Holyrood with legislation if “sufficient progress is not made over the next 12 months”.

He stated: “We are fast tracking progress and so we expect progress to be sustained and swift.”

The move was announced as Mr Swinney confirmed £46 million of funding over three years for education reforms.

The education secretary told MSPS: “Thescottishgovernmentandscotland’s 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 Conservative MSP Liz Smith accused the government of having broken a “promise to the people of Scotland” by not bringing in the legislation, while leaving “schools with even more uncertainty about their future”.

Labour’s Iain Gray said the education Bill had “sailed off into the sunset”, branding it “unnecessary and misguided”.

But Larry Flanagan, general secretary of the EIS teaching union, said it welcomed the government’s decision to “pauseitseducationbilllegislationandto grant Scottish education the breathing space teachers have been asking for”.

“We are fast tracking progress and so we expect progress to be sustained and swift.

JOHN SWINNEY