21 new primary schools for Scotland

Published on Thursday 26 November 2009 21:40

THE Scottish Government's plan to build 21 new schools has been unveiled, amid criticisms there are in fact hundreds in urgent need of repair.

Education secretary Fiona Hyslop revealed a list of primary schools which would be part of the latest tranche of the government's 1.25 billion school rebuilding programme.

In September, it was announced 14 secondary schools would be rebuilt or refurbished, which the government claimed would place more than 12,000 pupils in modern classrooms.

The latest announcement includes 20 primaries and one special school, across 19 local authorities benefiting 6,000 pupils.

Ms Hyslop made the announcement on a visit to the newly refurbished Larbert Village Primary near Falkirk, an extension project started under the previous Liberal Democrat-Labour executive.

She said the government was reversing the trend of decades of under-investment and neglect under previous administrations.

"This government inherited a legacy of 260,000 pupils in poor or bad-condition school buildings and, in just two-and-a-half years, that number has dropped by over 100,000," said Ms Hyslop.

"We are on track to deliver in excess of 250 new or refurbished schools in the lifetime of this parliament through 2bn of investment already under way, supported by decisions made by the Scottish Government." All are expected to be completed by 2014.

Isabel Hutton, education spokeswoman for council umbrella body Cosla said: "We still have a way to go and too many children continue to be taught in less-than-ideal conditions.

"But the extent of the problem can only be addressed in partnership, particularly against the backdrop of the difficult economic situation facing us all."

But Labour pointed out there are still 566 schools across Scotland officially regarded as in a poor or bad condition. Des McNulty, Labour education spokesman, described the announcement as embarrassingly small.

He said: "Scotland was promised a raft of new schools by the SNP – today's announcement shows the bankruptcy of their ambition. None of the schools announced today, or the secondary schools announced last month, will be completed in the lifetime of this parliament."

In June, it emerged schools would not be prioritised for rebuilding based on need alone.

A leaked letter from Cosla warned council leaders other information, apart from need for repair, would be taken into consideration by ministers.

Public services watchdog Audit Scotland previously warned it would take decades to bring Scotland's crumbling schools up to 21st-century standards.

In 2003, the then Scottish Executive promised all buildings would be out of the "poor" category by 2018. However, Audit Scotland has said this will now take until 2028.

There are about 2,720 council schools in Scotland. Over the past decade, 219 have been rebuilt and many refurbished.