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Meeting of the Parliament 26 February 2014

26 Feb 2014 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament

Item of business

Scotland’s Children

Allan, Dr Alasdair SNP Na h-Eileanan an Iar Watch on SPTV

I am grateful for the opportunity to pause to remember why we are doing what we are doing in CFE and to reflect on the positive progress that has been made for our learners, parents and teachers. As I have said, vital as it is for us to listen to teachers during the process—we will listen to them—it is important to reflect on why we are doing the work, which is for the benefit of young people.

I have visited schools regularly in my job for almost three years and can testify to the excellent work that is going on. It is particularly inspiring to hear young people enthusing about their learning. At yesterday’s Education and Culture Committee, I said that we all share the vision of Scotland’s being the best place in the world to go to school. Nothing has changed my view on that, and nothing has changed the recognition that we have a broad consensus in the chamber on the principles of curriculum for excellence—a policy that was begun under the previous Labour-Liberal Democrat coalition and which has been continued by this Government. Putting in place the last pieces of the CFE jigsaw is a prize that all parties have played a part in—or, as the EIS put it more trenchantly yesterday, it is a prize in which all parties are “complicit”.

I cannot emphasise enough that this Government recognises and appreciates teachers’ hard work, commitment and dedication. Much of the basis of curriculum for excellence is the intention to free teachers to use their professional judgment, so everything that we do nationally and locally must support that.

We hear reports that some teachers are anxious as we move to the new qualifications. That is a reflection of our teachers’ deep commitment to doing their absolute best for young people. However, we take very seriously the points that are raised around support and workload issues. I have never tried to shy away from the reality that this level of change in any education system implies a great deal of hard work. To that end, the Scottish Government, Education Scotland and the SQA have worked closely with local authorities, teachers, and parents in order to ensure that effective support is available; indeed, unprecedented levels of support have been provided. Much of that has been long planned and agreed, and all national support has been provided on or before schedule.

We have also always been willing to listen to calls for further support and to put that in place. Last Friday, I announced a package of £5 million further assistance, which the unions and others have welcomed. I take issue with Mr Bibby’s assertion that that is somehow the Government’s first meaningful response to what teachers have told us. Since 2012, we have in total provided more than £10 million of additional funding, three extra in-service days, including a further day for higher in 2014-15, full course materials for each of the 95 national 4 and 5 courses, and we will provide higher materials by April, and subject-specific and other events for thousands of teachers.

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Meeting of the Parliament 26 February 2014

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