When I was a pupil at Girvan Primary then Auchinleck Academy, Scotland was seen as having one of the best Education systems in the world. Fourteen years of SNP government have seen that reputation trashed as we slipped down the rankings. A landmark report from Audit Scotland has found that the SNP have failed to close the educational attainment gap and our young people are paying the price. Nicola Sturgeon promised this would be her “defining mission” to judge her on.
Scotland deserves better government and better opposition. The good news is Scottish Labour has a national recovery plan to catch up classroom time lost to Covid and deal with the SNP’s failings. Every pupil will have a “personal plan” combined with a mental health assessment. They will be offered tutoring, as well as a “re-sit guarantee” if exam results were negatively impacted by the pandemic – alongside the offer of a fully-funded college place to retake national qualifications.
There will be funding to give young people free access to sport, transport, outdoor activities and culture. We will also guarantee school places for probationary teachers to help pupils catch-up.
Our plan will help restore the reputation of the once world-renowned Scottish education system and make sure every child has a decent start in life.