The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Party leaders question SNP’s future vision for education
ELECTION: Rennie asks why statistics for numeracy and literacy are not released
Nicola Sturgeon has come under fire on education despite her insistence that improving the system for youngsters would be her “number one priority” if the SNP wins the Holyrood elections.
The First Minister and SNP leader said her party would give both teachers and parents a “bigger role” in decisions at schools.
She reiterated her commitment to tackle the attainment gap between rich and poor pupils, and highlighted SNP plans to invest an extra £750 million over the next parliament to help achieve this.
Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie questioned why statistics on numeracy and literacy in Scotland had not been published as usual this year.
For the past five years the results of the Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy have been published in either March or April, but this year they are not due to be published until the end of May, according to the Scottish Government website.
Mr Rennie said: “The First Minister has said education is her number one priority. But the results of the last two of these surveys have shown overall literacy and numeracy standards are slipping, and the attainment gap is widening. It seems convenient that we’re being expected to wait more than a month longer than ever before to get sight of the most up-to-date statistics.”
Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said: “In her manifesto yesterday, Nicola Sturgeon offered protection for the NHS budget, but not for education. This is not a technical detail.”
Ms Sturgeon, who was campaigning in West Dumfries said: “The goal of the SNP will be to substantially close the attainment gap in the next Parliament and to eliminate it within a decade. I have set out ambitious proposals to ensure that every child has the chance to succeed in life and if re-elected as first minister I will ask to be judged on my success in achieving this.”
Conservative leader Ruth Davidson, who visited Colinton Nursery in Edinburgh yesterday, cautioned: “So often in the past nine years we have seen them (SNP) with great intentions but not following through because they have been too distracted by running another referendum.”
Green education spokeswoman Isla O’Reilly said: “Closing the attainment gap is important but the SNP’s return to national testing... is not what Scotland’s young people need.”