SNP must be open to good ideas on education – even ones from England and the Tories
It’s time to restore discipline to Scotland’s schools and focus on the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic
The fundamental importance of education to the long-term future of any country cannot be overstated. For this reason, the fall in standards in Scotland’s schools in recent years is a worrying sign about our direction of travel under the SNP.
Given the widespread expectation that John Swinney and co will form the next government, some may imagine it doesn’t really matter what the other parties say. However, as former Labour MP George Foulkes points out, polls have been wrong before and should not be given undue importance when people decide how to vote.
And, as we have suggested before, even if the SNP does win, they should show some humility and embrace consensus politics, given they are likely to achieve power thanks to a relatively small proportion of the electorate.
They should also accept that our education system has a problem, that this requires a solution, and that it is possible for other parties and countries to have good ideas which might help.
The SNP would be loath to admit the Scottish Conservatives have a point about anything. However, the Tories’ plan to “restore the standing of our schools by focusing on key skills like literacy and numeracy, tested by exams and measured by increased [school] inspections” will be welcomed by many.
Teachers, in particular, will be delighted by their aim to help the thousands without a permanent full-time job to find one and also to restore discipline following “some horrific examples of serious violence” in classrooms.
The SNP also likes to imagine that everything in Scotland is better than in England. However, given our schools are being outperformed by those south of the Border, seeking to learn lessons is just basic common sense.
Scotland’s over-worked, stressed out teachers need help. Pupils should not be afraid to go to school. Teaching children the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic is vital. None of this should be controversial.
Party politics must not prevent the introduction of good ideas that could help our schools. And it would be grimly ironic if nationalistic pride got in the way of a better future for the young generation and the country.
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