Labour accused of ‘playing politics’ ahead of final vote on education reforms

Labour MSPs will be putting politics ahead of Scotland’s schoolchildren if they vote against education reforms at Holyrood, the SNP has claimed.

A Bill from the Scottish Government which will scrap current exams body the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) as well as establish a chief inspector of education, to be tasked with inspecting nurseries, schools and colleges, faces its final vote in the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday evening.

But Labour MSPs have threatened to vote against the Education (Scotland) Bill, claiming as it stands it fails to deliver “genuine reform”.

With a new body, Qualifications Scotland, proposed to take the place of the SQA, Labour education spokeswoman Pam Duncan-Glancy has branded the plans a “superficial rebrand”.

Her bid for the Bill to establish Curriculum Scotland, a new body to take charge of setting what pupils should learn, was voted down by MSPs.

In a late night sitting on Tuesday, MSPs rejected the proposal, despite Ms Duncan-Glancy insisting it would not increase costs for the Scottish Government.

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth had argued curriculum improvements are already under way, with this work being led by Education Scotland.

Ms Gilruth insisted: “I do not believe there are sufficient advantages to establishing a new standalone curriculum body in legislation and the expense that will incur, when we already have a national education agency being refocused on curriculum improvement and supporting implementation across the system.”

With the Bill due before MSPs for a final vote on Wednesday evening, SNP MSP George Adam insisted the legislation “presents an opportunity to bring about real change which will strengthen Scotland’s education landscape”.

He added: “It comes as no surprise, but it is nevertheless disappointing, that Labour has decided to play politics rather than prioritise Scotland’s schoolchildren.”

Adding the Bill had been “shaped” with input from pupils, parents and teachers, he continued: “Despite putting forward a series of amendments to the Bill, Labour has now shown that it would rather score a cheap political goal than vote for the changes it has been calling for.

“The SNP Scottish Government is proud of this Bill and is committed to implementing the system and culture change required to improve outcomes and support professionals in classrooms and education settings all over Scotland.”

Ms Duncan-Glancy however insisted that Scotland’s education system, which “was once the envy of the world”, was “declining” under the SNP.

She added: “A catalogue of failures and scandals by the SQA and the SNP has left trust in our education system in tatters.

“Scots will never forget the SQA’s shameful attempt to downgrade the exam results of working class pupils during the pandemic – a move signed off by none other than John Swinney.

“This Bill was a chance to deliver badly-needed reform and build an education system that works for every young person, but instead the SNP is simply rebranding its failing institutions.

“Kids deserve better than this broken status quo and I cannot endorse a Bill that ignores experts, teachers and pupils and promises more of the same with a review instead of reform.”