Need a return to old Scottish school system

Sir, – Whether the Curriculum for Excellence is a good thing for Scottish schools or not remains to be seen, but it is just one more change in dozens which have been imposed on teachers. The excellence of Scottish education pre-1960 is a widely acknowledged historical fact.

The Scots benefited from the legacy of the Reformation and the Presbyterians’aim of a school in every parish. For centuries, that excellent system endured, with hardheaded elders and enlightened ministers laying great emphasis on the three Rs.

The result was that Scottish children in the 18th,19th and well into the 20th century left school even at 14 with excellent reading, writing and counting skills and a good grounding in other subjects.

The state took over responsibility for education in 1870s, but the old traditions survived and Scottish schools’standards remained high.

Unfortunately, after 1945, a beast called social engineering raised its ugly head and the Scottish education system was completely destroyed by modern theorists whose aim is an unwelcome and illjudged distraction. KenAnderson. 10 Douglas Terrace, Broughty Ferry. was to reform society through education and, mistakenly, not only to give every child an equal opportunity, but to make every child equal.

The result has been chaos almost ever since, with teachers trying to maintain standards amidst sweeping changes which have made their task well-nigh impossible.

What we need is not another attempt such as the Curriculum for Excellence at rescuing previous failed reforms, but one really allembracing reform, returning Scottish education to basics – putting the power back in to me that taken over time the views from both “Yes” and “No” camps have been fairly represented in equal measure. AllanA MacDougall. 37 Forth Park, Bridge ofAllan. the hands of teachers, backed by headmasters and education authorities and with parental support and ensuring that every child has every opportunity to start life with the educational strengths Scottish children used to have.

We should return to a system which proved itself over the centuries and leave the teachers to get on with it, with as few directives from above as possible, George K McMillan. 5 MountTaborAvenue, Perth. (