YOU can’t be serious! I refer to the question from Stephen Kerr MSP (Conservative) at Nicola Sturgeon’s last First Minister’s Questions. Mr Kerr asked “what the outcomes have been of the Scottish Government’s defining mission to tackle the poverty-related attainment gap”.
Ms Sturgeon highlighted the Scottish Government’s record and outcomes including an increase in students from deprived areas going to university. Teacher numbers have increased by more than 8% during her term as First Minister and Scotland has the highest ratio of teachers to pupil in the UK.
However, I was taken aback to hear Mr Kerr, a listed MSP in my area, challenge the Scottish Government on education, considering we have free university education in Scotland, something students in England do not benefit from under the Conservative Westminster government, with fees currently standing at more than £9000 per term. In abolishing tuition fees in Scotland, the Scottish Government recognised the country’s future depends on the next generation being educated.
Catriona C Clark
Falkirk
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