Committee
Education Committee, 21 Mar 2007
21 Mar 2007 · S2 · Education Committee
Item of business
Petition
Secondary Schools (Lockers) (PE825)
Item 2 is petition PE825, from Rosshall academy student council and higher modern studies section, calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Executive to ensure that every Scottish secondary school provides lockers for pupils' use. We heard from the petitioners at our previous meeting on 27 February.The students deserve a great deal of credit for using the Parliament's petitions system very effectively to draw the matter to the attention of councillors, members of the Scottish Parliament and the media. However, my understanding is that no other country in the world has legislated to provide school lockers and that attempting to do so would be fraught with difficulties. It is a matter for head teachers and local managers, in consultation with pupils and parents through their parent council, to decide in each school whether to have lockers and how to manage their operation. The question is, therefore, whether it would be appropriate to oblige schools to make such provision, as local circumstances vary from place to place. I am open to members' views as to whether we wish to do anything further with the petition or, sadly, recommend that it be closed.
In the same item of business
The Convener:
LD
Item 2 is petition PE825, from Rosshall academy student council and higher modern studies section, calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Ex...
Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP):
SNP
The petition raises a serious issue. Although schools' circumstances might be different, I am not sure that pupils' circumstances are that much different. Ge...
The Convener:
LD
I make the wider point that pupils' interests are often completely forgotten about in guidance on schools issues. It often refers to parents and staff but fo...
Fiona Hyslop:
SNP
There is also a practical issue. We should ask the Executive to engage—if it does not do so already—with those who produce educational materials to consider ...
The Convener:
LD
There is an issue in relation to the curriculum for excellence. When schools design new courses, they should take into account the practicalities of how cour...
Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab):
Lab
Timetabling is also an issue. For example, pupils might have to bring musical instruments to school on the same day as sports kit and other items. I remember...
The Convener:
LD
There are practical issues when children have to carry bulky items for particular reasons. In such cases, special arrangements should be made. A pupil should...
Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab):
Lab
It is interesting to contrast the experience of the pupils who lodged the petition with that of pupils at the brand new Williamwood high school in my area. O...
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con):
Con
I agree with the convener. It is for head teachers to decide whether their school should have lockers and how they should be managed. Obviously, that can be ...
Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (Sol):
Sol
That is probably the best route to take. We should also emphasise that pupils should be consulted when new schools are built. Some schools will not have the ...
The Convener:
LD
It seems that the committee is unanimous in its concern about the issue. The best way to proceed might be to write to the Minister for Education and Young Pe...