Former FM: Only urgency, creativity and leadership will reopen our schools
Politicians and education experts yesterday led calls for councils to act with creativity and urgency to find ways of delivering as much face-to-face teaching as possible from August.
Former first minister Jack Mcconnell had voiced concern at the “blended schooling” strategy outlined by Scottish Education Secretary Jo h n Sw i n n e y l a s t we e k , which some councils used to justify offering just one day of in-school lessons a week.
However, yesterday, the Labour peer said that, despite intervention by Nicola Sturgeon, there was still too little leadership, energy, creative thinking and financial support to ensure children were not failed.
Stephen Mccabe, education spokesman for Cosla, representing Scotland’s local authorities, told Holyrood’s education committee on Friday councils could “potentially” increase the amount of time pupils are at school “if additional resources are made available” but said it would be “impossible” to return to full capacity under current social distancing rules.
Lord Mcconnell, a former education minister, condemned the apparent stand-off between councils and ministers. He said: “This is a terrible abdication of responsibility by everyone.
“Councils should be identifying the re s o u rc e s needed to go to full- time education in August – the buildings, the staff and the equipment. They should then be passing that information to the Scottish Government, who should then provide the resources.
“It is a ridiculous stand- off and the people who are going to pay here are the children.”
Councils have revealed plans to use church halls and indoor bowling clubs to provide extra space for pupils. Some are also planning to install temporary classrooms outside schools but none is planning to offer a full week’s teaching in school.
Research shows councils in Scotland in 2016 to 2017 had more than 1,100 vacant commercial properties, including schools libraries and more than 80 schools and nurseries.
Lindsay Paterson, professor of education policy at Edinburgh University, said: “Even if some of the property is quite small, it could still be used for small groups of pupils, for example half a primary class in the halfweek they are not in school.
“What is needed is local imagination and local leadership, able to call upon financial support from the Scottish or UK governments when needed.”
SNP MSP Alex Neil said:
“Councils giving anything less than 50% of school time to pupils is not acceptable. The aim should be to get everyone up to 100% as a matter of urgency while maintaining the social distancing rules.”
A Cosla spokesman said extra facilities would be used where possible, but added they must be “used safely and be suitable for learning”.
The Scottish Government said: “We expect councils to use innovative and creative ways to maximise the amount of time pupils spend in the classroom when schools reopen in August – and we will be scrutinising closely the local plans councils are devising. We will, of course, work with councils to address any resourcing issues.”