SNP’S neglect of the Scottish education system

sir – The Prime Minister has wisely turned down the demand from Nicola Sturgeon, the First Minister, for yet another divisive vote on Scotland’s independence (report, January 15).

When I joined the Royal Navy in 1963, recruits from Scotland were exempted from the educational test required of all others, since the Navy considered a Scottish education good enough to satisfy requirements. I’m now told by friends who have children and grandchildren in the Royal Navy that recruits from north of the border have to take remedial lessons in the evenings to bring them up to the standard required by the service.

By concentrating so much on independence, the Scottish National Party has totally neglected all other aspects of governing – including education. The people of Scotland (and expats like me) deserve better. James A Dunbar

Isle of Portland, Dorset

sir – While the majority in Scotland will be delighted that Boris Johnson has spelt out the constitutional, political and moral realities of Nicola Sturgeon’s demand for another referendum, it is surely now inevitable that the First

Minister and the SNP will focus not on the effective management of Scotland’s public services but on campaigning ceaselessly for independence until the 2021 Holyrood election. Martin Redfern

Edinburgh

sir – New statistics show that university admissions for Scottish pupils to universities in their own country are in decline (report, January 13). This follows confirmation of systemic and worsening failures seriously affecting the quality of education and outcomes in primary, secondary and tertiary education, and also for disadvantaged children.

The Snp-led, Scotland-only government seems determined to undermine what was considered to have been the best state education in the country and beyond.

The UK government was responsible for education in Scotland from 1885 to 1999, through the Scottish Office. It increasingly appears that the way to reverse the appalling decline is for this Government to take back overall control of education. Ian Goodall

North Berwick, East Lothian