MSPs shame Nationalists for 10 years of failing schools

SNP loses vote on its abysmal record

THE SNP suffered a humiliating defeat yesterday after MSPs backed a motion condemning a decade of education failures.

Scottish Labour used its debating time at Holyrood to put further pressure on Education Secretary John Swinney, who has delayed his planned reforms to the sector.

Labour education spokesman Iain Gray said Mr Swinney should ditch his plans and instead ‘invest properly in schools’ and address the teacher shortage.

The Labour motion – passed 63 to 62 – accused the SNP adminissystem.’ tration of ‘failing’ pupils, teachers and parents.

It stated that ‘many teachers have lost confidence’ in the official bodies Education Scotland and the Scottish Qualifications Authority. It also said that ‘disappointing’ international figures show a ‘decline in reading, maths and science scores in Scotland’.

Labour highlighted staff levels and resources for schools, claiming that since the SNP came to power in 2007, teacher numbers have fallen by 4,000 and local government budgets have been cut by £1.5billion since 2011.

Last night, Mr Gray said: ‘This is a stinging defeat for the SNP – John Swinney has dropped the education ball once again.

‘Ministers must now respect the will of parliament and recognise their handling of our education The debate followed confirmation that the Education Bill – originally meant to be published early this year – will be unveiled ‘some time during 2017’ as Mr Swinney studies 1,100 responses to a school governance review.

The review proposes more powers for head teachers in a shakeup of the way schools are run.

Figures from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) have shown Scots pupils lag behind peers in South Korea, Vietnam and ex-Soviet bloc countries Estonia and Slovenia. During the debate, Scottish Tory education spokesman Liz Smith said Mr Gray was right to raise ‘the great difficulties’ in Scottish education.

Describing the challenges facing the sector as ‘extensive’, she told MSPs: ‘The PISA scores show us exactly where we have to go to ensure that we are bringing up Scottish education, not just for those in the lower attainment group but for those in the highest attainment group as well.’

Green MSP Ross Greer, an education committee member, criticised Government plans for standardised assessments and the ‘deeply unnecessary’ governance review.

Lib Dem MSP Tavish Scott, who also sits on the committee, said education needed ‘a change to the culture of conformity’.

Mr Swinney described the motion as ‘pathetically miserable’ and ‘disgraceful’.

He said: ‘What concerns me about the characterisation of Scottish education from Mr Gray today is the unwillingness to acknowledge the strength of performance that’s been achieved.’

‘Dropped the ball once again’