Mull left ‘disengaged, disillusioned and distrustful’ by school reform

A public meeting of 350 people on Mull failed to find a single person in favour of Argyll and Bute Council’s education plans.

Mull Community Council says it has been left ‘disengaged, disillusioned and distrustful’ by Argyll and Bute Council’s consultation on changes to school leadership and the grouping of schools into collectives.

With no plan to extend the consultation, Mull CC says proposals are a ‘waste of time’.

Mull Community Council said: ‘Our recent public meeting had an audience of over 350 people on Facebook and Zoom. Some may have been from other parts of Argyll and Bute, but nonetheless it’s equivalent to more than 10 per cent of our island’s population.

‘Nobody spoke in favour of the proposals despite repeated invitations from the convener to do so and, to date, we’ve had no comments in favour.

‘The proposals might be good for the future of education or they might be bad. But they have failed to produce any evidence about the benefits for children’s education that they claim, or any real plans for achieving them. They have failed to address concerns about what they might lead to for the future of island and rural schools, and island and rural communities.’

The convener of Mull Community Council, Tom Nelson, added: ‘Huge amounts of the time of parents, residents, volunteers and community groups has been given over to considering the proposals.

‘But in the end no one can give a considered view because Argyll and Bute has failed to produce any real evidence for their proposals and no plans for achieving the benefits they claim. It has been a waste of the time of local people who care for their communities.

‘We want to have meaningful discussion about our children’s education. Argyll and Bute needs to find a way to engage the community in a serious way. Instead it has left us disengaged, disillusioned and distrustful.’

The community council added: ‘Children have only one chance at education, so it is not enough to claim these proposals are “innovative”. We want a serious dialogue about how to achieve them. Argyll and Bute Council has simply provided us with PR-led assurances.

‘There may be merit within the proposals, but Argyll and Bute Council’s failure to face up to the serious questions that people want to raise leaves us no option but to urge that they are withdrawn at this time.

‘We have no doubt about their commitment to their schools and communities. But we can have no confidence in the proposals if Argyll and Bute Council fails to properly address the questions being asked by parent councils, community councils, teaching unions and by others in our community.

‘Unless Argyll and Bute Council is willing to engage the community in a serious discussion about the challenges and options, we cannot have confidence that schools in island and rural areas will not be diminished, and our communities will not be diminished with them.’