Chamber
Plenary, 29 Jan 2003
29 Jan 2003 · S1 · Plenary
Item of business
“Educating for Excellence”
I suppose that I ought to declare an interest: I am the parent of a young person who is currently studying for highers. Although we have done a considerable amount of work to reduce the amount of assessment within the higher still exam system, I believe that we need to do further work. We will work closely with the teaching profession and the Scottish Qualifications Authority to ensure that we reduce the burden for young people and teachers.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Sir David Steel):
NPA
The next item of business is a statement by Cathy Jamieson on "Educating for Excellence: Choice and Opportunity". Questions will follow the statement and I w...
The Minister for Education and Young People (Cathy Jamieson):
Lab
The national debate on education, in which more than 20,000 people took part, has given us the best opportunity in years to look at the future of schools in ...
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
A large number of members want to ask questions. I do not think that we will get them all in; the number depends on brevity in both questions and answers.
Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I thank the minister for providing a copy of the statement and document. I know that the minister is one of the best known vegans in Scotland, but I am tempt...
Cathy Jamieson:
Lab
I am disappointed that Mike Russell has attempted to make this a party-political issue.The national debate involved people from right across Scotland. It inv...
Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con):
Con
I also thank the minister for providing an advance copy of her statement and the document "Educating for Excellence".I too found the minister's statement pro...
Cathy Jamieson:
Lab
I would be disappointed if Brian Monteith felt that it is not important to work with the EIS and all the other organisations that made a significant contribu...
Ian Jenkins (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD):
LD
I welcome the minister's statement as a first step in taking forward the issues that were raised in the education debate. I am glad that the debate endorsed ...
Cathy Jamieson:
Lab
I am glad that Ian Jenkins feels that the responses that we have made today fit with the comments that were made during the national debate. The review of th...
Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab):
Lab
I am sure that the minister agrees that parental involvement in education is extremely important, particularly today. How does she propose to enhance and enc...
Cathy Jamieson:
Lab
Parents made it clear to us that there are a number of areas in which they want accurate information. They want the opportunity not necessarily to take over ...
Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West):
*
Whatever happened to the Labour party's commitment to replace or supplement league tables of raw examination results with additional information about school...
Cathy Jamieson:
Lab
I hope that I made it clear in my statement that, if we are to measure how good schools are, we must do so across the range of national priorities. People sh...
Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab):
Lab
I need more time to examine the details, as I have only just seen the document, but will the minister assure me that the review of the five-to-14 curriculum ...
Cathy Jamieson:
Lab
I am happy to assure Karen Gillon that the framework that has been set out today acknowledges that several pieces of work are under way. If people take the t...
Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I draw the minister's attention to the evidence from the University of Strathclyde's department of modern languages for the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning ...
Cathy Jamieson:
Lab
Alex Neil makes a good point about the need to ensure that literacy and numeracy strategies are in place. That is important for the transition not only into ...
Janis Hughes (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab):
Lab
I thank the minister for her statement. Unlike some members, I welcome the statement's positive tone. Will she outline how schools will assist children who w...
Cathy Jamieson:
Lab
Janis Hughes will be aware of the group that undertook the review of enterprise education, which my colleague Nicol Stephen chaired. That review group has re...
Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con):
Con
I hope that the minister shares my concerns about a recent HMIE report, which showed that, in one Scottish secondary school in 2001 alone, one in five of the...
Cathy Jamieson:
Lab
Murdo Fraser raises a question about the number of young people who are excluded from school. It is important to state that I do not believe that there is an...
Cathy Jamieson:
Lab
Brian Monteith may shake his head, but his colleague said on the record that we were throwing money at the problem.We have put in the money to ensure that th...
Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab):
Lab
I was pleased to hear the minister's announcement about the first and second years of secondary school. Mathematics and English teachers in particular will b...
Cathy Jamieson:
Lab
Obviously, it was not possible to mention everything in my statement, but I reassure Maureen Macmillan that she will find a reference to Gaelic in the docume...
Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green):
Green
I want to return to a point that was made by Ian Jenkins. Will the Executive be making a commitment in the near future to outdoor education and education in ...
Cathy Jamieson:
Lab
I am very aware of Robin Harper's interest in that area and in the wider area of environmental education. Those are exactly the kind of opportunities that we...
Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab):
Lab
I am grateful to the minister for her comments about reducing the amount of assessments—that issue comes up time and again. Will she give the chamber more de...
Cathy Jamieson:
Lab
I suppose that I ought to declare an interest: I am the parent of a young person who is currently studying for highers. Although we have done a considerable ...
Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
The emphasis in the statement was on choice and opportunity. Surely the flexibility that the minister seeks will not become a reality unless the system is re...
Cathy Jamieson:
Lab
I do not agree that the document creates additional initiatives. It brings together a whole range of work that is already under way to ensure that we have a ...