Russell: I have no regrets over ‘savage’ cutbacks for colleges

EDUCATION Secretary Mike Russell refused to apologise as a teaching leader attacked the ‘savage cuts’ for colleges.

Tommy Castles, president of the EIS teaching union, told an SNP fringe event the sector urgently needed better funding.

Mr Russell attempted to defend his record, pointing to new college buildings, but refused to commit himself to allocating extra cash.

That is despite college student numbers falling by more than a third to 238,805 since the SNP came to power in 2007.

Mr Castles said: ‘We have to see an end to the savage cuts – and resources going back into further education colleges.’

Asked what he wanted to see, he added: ‘More money, more resources for the sector, more lecturers and lecturer contracts, and more time spent engaging with students, which comes back to more resources.’

Mr Russell has faced criticism in Holyrood for his handling of college education, and attracted derision as he tried to blame the referendum No vote, though education is wholly devolved.

Yesterday, he said: ‘Yes, we’ve made substantial changes to the college system, but we’ve still spent £500million. I don’t apologise for that for a moment.’

Launching a defence of his record, he said: ‘No administration has ever renewed colleges the way we have done.’

Mr Castles also pointed to the high teacher workload created by SNP reforms, saying that it had left some staff in tears.

However, Mr Russell insisted that no- one could argue Curriculum for Excellence had not been a success.