SNP 'failing' over history lessons

Published on Thursday 8 May 2008 22:31

ONE of Scotland's leading historians has accused the SNP of failing to act on its promises to improve history education in schools.

Professor Tom Devine said the Scottish Government came to power with a laudable commitment to the subject but has taken "precious" little action since.

He said: "There have certainly been words of encouragement and plenty of positive press releases but, so far as I can see, precious few actions or practical progress a year later to ensure that worthy objective does indeed become a reality."

Prof Devine is the Sir William Fraser Professor of Scottish History at Edinburgh University and author of The Scottish Nation and Scotland's Empire.

He describes the neglect of Scottish history in schools as "scandalous".

He spoke out in advance of this year's Word Festival at Aberdeen University which begins on Friday.

Around 50 authors and poets will attend the three-day literary festival, which starts with a discussion on Scotland.

Prof Devine added: "I am always amazed by the stark contrast between the continuing scandalous neglect of the nation's history in our schools and the deep and increasing interest in it on the part of the Scottish people."

In January, The Scotsman exclusively revealed Scottish history was to be put at the heart of the subject by the Nationalist Scottish Government.

Fiona Hyslop, the education secretary, maintained making history relevant to the lives of children would "create a better understanding of how Scotland came to be, where it is now and the part the nation could play in shaping the future."

New guidelines on the subject will not come into force until the Curriculum for Excellence lands on teachers' desks in August.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "Scottish history will be an integral part of the school curriculum and we are looking to work closely with Tom Devine and others on how this can be best achieved as trialling of the new curriculum starts."

The Scottish Qualifications Authority recently made a Scottish element a compulsory part of the Higher history exam in future.