Education myth

Valerie Thomson (Letters, 29 September) offers a valid argument for private schooling but none for her claims that state education in Scotland has declined greatly and that it was once admired worldwide

I spent 13 years in Scottish state schools more than 50 years ago but learned little of value, although gaining five Highers.

Like most other pupils my general feelings were of boredom and fear. Teachers were uninterested in us as individuals and there was no “social and personal education” or counselling. We were not encouraged to think for ourselves and expected to believe whatever we were told. It was more indoctrination than education. The majority left school at 14 with minimum academic qualifications.

Children are far more confident and informed now. Academic standards are much higher. I could not pass the current Higher examinations in subjects I studied.

During around 20 years living and/or travelling in over 60 countries in six continents I never met anyone expressing an opinion on Scottish education. They neither knew or cared anything about it. None were even aware that Scotland and England had different school systems.

JOHN MUNRO Buccleuch Street, Glasgow

The SNP has effectively been in charge of Scotland since 2007 and some years ago Nicola Sturgeon insisted she wanted

to be judged on her record in education. Well, since the SNP took over the number of secondary school teachers is down 10 per cent, with the number teaching core subjects such as maths and science down 15 per cent.

Education is the number one driver of productivity and Microsoft calculates that Scotland will need an extra 50,000 skilled workers to fill digital roles by 2022.

Nicola Sturgeon’s decision to pull Scotland’s schools out of international surveys cannot hide the fact that state education on her watch has been an utter catastrophe.

(REV) DR JOHN CAMERON

Howard Place, St Andrews