Tories would restore Scottish education to its ‘world-leading status’ – Findlay

The Scottish Conservatives would return the country’s education system to its “world-leading status”, the party’s leader has pledged.

Speaking at a campaign event near Edinburgh on Thursday, Russell Findlay said the SNP had “trashed” Scottish education during its nearly two decades in power.

He said his party would restore “classroom discipline” and “put a return to classroom-based educational excellence at the heart of the curriculum”.

“The SNP have trashed Scottish education over the best part of two decades, we would see a return to knowledge-based learning,” he said.

“We would ensure that classroom discipline doesn’t stop serially disruptive pupils from harming the education of those who are there who want to learn, and we would ensure that there’ll be enough teachers to teach our children.

“There’s so much that could be done, and we want to return Scottish education to its world-leading status.”

He also described mobile phones as a “complete distraction” to pupils, and restated his party’s desire to ban them from classrooms.

“They add to the chaos that is often taking place in classrooms where serially disruptive pupils are not being excluded,” he said.

“There are some horrific examples of serious violence taking place in classrooms where pupils are being attacked, where teachers are being attacked, and very often this is also being filmed (and) circulated on social media.

“(Mobile phones) are a distraction to learning. They cause problems in the classroom, and they should be removed.”

His party’s education spokesman, Miles Briggs, said the proposals “would restore the standing of our schools by focusing on key skills like literacy and numeracy, tested by exams and measured by increased inspections”.

He went on: “We would make sure that schools are prepared for the international comparison studies that the SNP had withdrawn from, and deliver additional support by funding 1,000 extra classroom assistants.

“There are thousands of teachers looking for full-time, permanent work in Scotland, but rural areas often find it difficult to attract the teachers they need, so we’d work to match schools with those looking for posts.

“We would also introduce a workforce plan to address shortages in particular subjects.

“From their failure to close the attainment gap for the most disadvantaged pupils, to plummeting standards and a rising tide of classroom violence, the SNP have trashed our schools.

“These common-sense plans would help undo the damage the nationalists have done.

“That’s why it’s vital that voters back the Scottish Conservatives on the peach ballot to stop an SNP majority.”