Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP Jeremy Balfour for Lothian is backing his party’s plans to scrap the SNP’s Curriculum for Excellence in favour of a return to Scotland’s traditional knowledge-based curriculum.
Jeremy Balfour’s call comes after the Scottish Conservative Education Spokesman Oliver Mundell made the announcement to coincide with the party’s conference in Aberdeen.
Jeremy Balfour says the Curriculum for Excellence is beyond saving and the SNP’s current approach is “an anchor that will keep dragging down school standards in the Lothians
The MSP added that teaching and learning should be the central focus of our schools in and we must stop the drift towards teachers in the Lothians doubling up as social workers and well-being experts.
The party have published a policy paper detailing the outline of a new curriculum, which will be developed over the coming months.
Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP Jeremy Balfour said: “Scotland’s education system used to be among the best in the world before the SNP came to power.
“In the Lothians we must return to the strong, teacher-led approach that gave so many of us who went to our local school in the Lothians a decent start in life.
“Quality, knowledge-rich universal education is at the heart of being Scottish.
“We should return to Scotland’s curriculum and ditch the SNP’s Curriculum for Excellence.
“Curriculum for Excellence is now beyond saving. The current approach from the SNP is an anchor that will keep dragging down school standards in and limiting opportunities for our young people in Lothian.
“Teaching and learning should be the focus of our schools in the Lothians and we have to stop teachers drifting towards doubling up as social workers and wellbeing experts.
“The SNP is asking schools in the Lothians to plug the gap for cuts elsewhere - and educational attainment is suffering as a result.
“The Scottish Conservatives want to start a national conversation with teachers and educational experts to design a replacement that would restore world-class education in the Lothians.”
