Goldie: Scottish education system failing youngsters

Published on Monday 7 September 2009 21:18

THE education system is failing to give all youngsters the best possible opportunities, Tory leader Annabel Goldie is due to say today

The Tories are hosting a conference on the subject today, at which they will argue that parents should be able to take their child out of a school they believe to be performing badly and transfer them to one where they believe standards are better.

Speaking before the event, Miss Goldie said: "Education will undoubtedly be one of the major political battlegrounds in Scotland over the next two elections – Westminster and Scottish Parliament.

"How can it be that we have doubled spending on education during ten years of devolution but standards have remained static?"

Tory schools spokeswoman Liz Smith said educational standards "will only improve if parents have a greater say about where their children are taught."

The Tories also propose that a "pupil premium" should be paid to children from poorer areas who are most in need and to children with special needs.

However Labour education spokeswoman Rhona Brankin said: "The Tories appear to be proposing school vouchers by the back door.

"Rather than trying to drive up standards across the board they will instead create educational ghettos."