MSP poorly advised over education plan

Sir, – MSP for Dumfriesshire Oliver Mundell was poorly advised to comment negatively on the Scottish Education Recovery plan. He did not disagree about the need for contingency plans, but merely that the optional contingency plans should not have been publicised.

His view was that the message to Scotland’s pupils, parents and teachers by the Scottish Government is that they are 100% committed to be based on exams next year, with no mention of any contingency plans based on health advice.

These plans should have been released in June, to allow students and teachers to plan for the full year ahead.

His advocated course of action seems to ignore that possible future events could see a further disruption of education, caused by Covid, flu or something new or a combination of all of these in circulation.

Should exams get disrupted in May, see Mr Mundell at the head of the charge to condemn the Scottish Government for not having broadcast the contingency plans earlier and causing chaos in education.

Education minister Shirley-Anne Somerville advised that the Scottish Government is fully committed to having exams in spring 2022, with the qualification that health professionals support this.

From the end of summer term educationalists were working on the plan published this week.

Mr Mundell is simply being his opportunistic self, seeking to claim influence of the Scottish Government on the restitution of exams into the education system, which is obviously not something he can claim, as that is the old normal.

There is work ongoing to Build Back Better by ScotGov. Alistair Ballantyne. Birkhill.