Education is not schooling

Sir, - Richard Lucas (August 25) is right to say that expecting all (or even most) children to achieve similar attainment levels in literacy and numeracy is

unrealistic. There are many reasons for differences other than socio-economic ones. Even among siblings there are often large variations in aptitudes.

For Nicola Sturgeon to commit herself to eliminating the “attainment gap” was astonishingly naive and showed little understanding of the school system.

Nobody expects the NHS to eradicate (or greatly reduce) the huge variations in health among the population.

Why should anyone think that schools can eliminate differences in educational attainment?

Schooling has often done more harm than good to the health and welfare of pupils. Many experience stress and mental/physical health problems due to pressure to perform and bullying.

Making comparisons in performance among pupils, schools, or countries is an invidious practice.

Examination results are a very limited criterion and little is understood of the reasons for these.

Other factors than schooling play key roles: culture, religion, parenting, housing and health. Politicians of all parties believe in performance tables and equate education with schooling. In truth most learning occurs before and after this.

John Swinney wants Scotland to have a worldclass education (meaning school) system. What this means and what criteria will be use to decide the matter is unclear. The majority of school systems are of poor quality. Alan Mathieson. 293 Glasgow Road, Perth.

“Politicians of all parties believe in performance tables and equate education with schooling. In truth most learning occurs before and after this