Swinney plans to give more power to schools
ARGYLL schools could be given more power on funding following measures announced in a newly-published Scottish Government report.
But union representatives are already concerned at the ‘centralisation’ of education to the central belt.
Scottish Government education minister John Swinney announced his plans in Delivering Excellence and Equity in Scottish Education at the end of last month.
On the minister’s list for Argyll and Bute is putting in place support for children of the poorest families, attainment and empowerment to individual schools.
When implemented over the next 18 months, this will mean a place for two-year- olds in every nursery and continuing focus on the home and school with an increase in the role of health visitors, the school and the child.
Employment opportunities in individual areas will be a focus of the curriculum.
Mr Swinney calls for a curriculum that delivers for the community and for the workforce required by each school and area.
The government minister has said ‘ more decisions’ will be made by children, teachers, families and the communities around schools.
Argyll and Bute Council announced plans for cluster schools in its 2016/17 budget. But to date no plans for these have been brought before elected members.
Asked about its proposals for the future of education in light of the Scottish Government report, a spokeswoman for Argyll and Bute Council told The Oban
Times: ‘This is a newly-published report and as you would expect we are taking time to review its content.
‘The council is currently in recess but we will be taking appropriate action over the coming months.’
Scotland’s biggest teaching union, the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), said it welcomed any measures that would ‘cut bureaucracy and reduce excessive workload’. EIS general secretary Larry Flanagan said: ‘If there is any suggestion of centralising control of schools and reducing the role of democratically- elected local authorities in running education, that would be a huge concern for the teaching profession.’