It doesn’t add up

Published on 18/10/2012 00:00

I have no wish to enter into a major discussion with Kenneth Ferguson on the topic of financial education in schools. However, for Mr Ferguson to argue (Letters, 11 October) that Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) has solved the previous omissions in the curriculum on this topic will be news to many, especially in secondary schools.

CfE has just been introduced, and if the financial education component has already worked its way through into the entire system, as alluded to by Mr 
Ferguson, it must have been exceptionally speedy and without precedent for an educational initiative. While primary schools are, and have been, somewhat better placed to do some work on this subject, through a number of activities including Money Weeks, for secondary schools, with their subject emphasis, I believe it is definitely not the case.

If the problem has been solved nationally, as is ascertained in the letter, why are the services of such organisations as the Royal Bank of Scotland, the Chartered Institute of Bankers in Scotland and other organisations (including Stewart Ivory, who visit nearly 200 schools each year) in such constant, and increasing, demand throughout Scottish schools? Even Education Scotland now talks about “partnerships with such organisations”. This is hardly an endorsement of a problem solved.

May I suggest that Education Scotland, if genuine in its wish to get partners on board in financial education, should, as argued in Bill Jamieson’s article (Perspective, 8 October), approach all such organisations, clarify how they can assist the partner to survive and enable these partnerships to flourish, and then work tirelessly to that end.

Otherwise, for the sake of a lack of official support, such voluntary and non-voluntary organisations will cease to exist, partnerships will die and those who lose out will be the students.

Andrew LivingstonE

Stewart Ivory Finance for Sixth Formers Project

Lyle Road

Kilmacolm