All sectors of education in Scotland suffer from mismanagement of resources

Gill Turner (Letters, 29 December) accuses Iain Gray of “having a narrow tribal political agenda”. All he was doing was reminding us of the decimation of the further education sector under the costcutting agenda of the SNP government. The figures demonstrate the severe reduction in access, both geographically and in study opportunities, and Gill Turner would do well not to try so hard to defend the indefensible. Further education was always intended to be broader in its offer than she argues.

Just in case her next line of argument turns out to be Westminster cuts, that is also quite ridiculous. The SNP are stuck on the shoogly peg of university education, free to all. Except, of course, that it is simply not affordable, without capping entries from well-qualified Scots in favour of paying students from elsewhere.

All sectors in education, from nursery upwards have suffered from mismanagement of resources. If Gill Turner were not such a slavish supporter of all things SNP, she might look at political choices with a more critical eye. ALISON FULLARTON Lumsdaine, Eyemouth

Gill Turner clearly exists in a state of denial over the dire state of Scottish education when she dismisses Iain Gray’s figures as “made-up fantasy”.

She should try telling that to the hundreds of teachers who have written to Nicola Sturgeon and John Swinney expressing grave concerns over the state of education in Scotland, to the parents whose children are entering secondary school unable to count up in 2s, and to the one in five school leavers who are functionally illiterate.

There was a delicious irony in her last sentence which read “of course, that means abandoning his narrow tribal political agenda”. This from an SNP apologist whose party supporters specialise in marches, flag waving, stone and face painting and boycotting brands with Union flags and companies whose bosses support a United Kingdom.

DONALD LEWIS Beech Hill, Gifford, East Lothian