John Swinney to meet with pupils at summit on cost of school day

First Minister John Swinney will meet with young people as he faces calls from them to ensure no one is left out at school because of their family’s income.

More than 80 young people from around Scotland will meet in Glasgow on Tuesday at the Cost of the School Day Young People’s Summit to produce a manifesto on how they think the Scottish Government should tackle poverty in schools.

A statement from the young people planning the summit warned that pupils will not be able to make the most of their education if they are not given the resources they need.

They said: “Young people are the seeds for a better Scotland. If we don’t get what we need to grow, then we can’t reach our potential.

“That’s the reality for many children in Scotland. Inequality amongst young people at school is exacerbated by poverty and prevents young people from accessing their education.”

Sara Spencer, of the Child Poverty Action Group, said tackling poverty is key to ensuring children are able to learn at school.

“While progress has been made, too many barriers remain,” she said.

“Truly listening to children and young people’s voices is crucial if we want to make further progress towards equity in education.

“The Summit is bringing together just some of the many brilliant young people throughout Scotland who are passionate about these issues and we look forward to hearing their calls to government on the day aimed at tackling the unacceptable impact of poverty on our education system.”

The First Minister said: “Eradicating child poverty is our national mission. Poverty stops far too many children and young people from achieving their full potential because it makes it harder for them to get the most out of their time in education.

“We have given significant funding to schools and local authorities so they can support children and families affected by poverty, but we must do more.

“This summit is an opportunity for me to hear from pupils about how we can build on the good work already taking place to reduce the costs of the school day.

“I will be ready to answer their questions as we discuss the best ways to give all Scotland’s children the best possible education and future.”