News / Call to scrap school closures
SHETLAND’S two Liberal Democrat parliamentarians Alistair Carmichael and Tavish Scott have called for the SIC to scrap school closures in the islands.
Welcoming yesterday’s decision by the education and families committee in favour of keeping North Roe and Urafirth primaries open, the pair appealed to the local authority to “set aside any plans for future school closures, urging them instead to focus on delivering quality education over financial cuts”.
In a joint letter to SIC leader Gary Robinson, Carmichael and Scott said they acknowledged the tough decisions the council has faced and recognised the difficult financial decisions taken.
It comes less than 24 hours after SNP Highlands and Islands list MSP Mike MacKenzie called for a five year moratorium on school closures.
The interventions will undoubtedly prove popular in the affected communities. But Robinson yesterday pointed out the yawning gap between what the SIC spends on education (£48.5 million in 2012/13) compared to what it receives from the Scottish Government (£29.5 million).
He is likely to make that point forcefully both to MacKenzie, whose party is in power at Holyrood, and Carmichael, who is a member of the UK coalition government cabinet.
With decisions on either closing or reducing secondary education in Symbister and Mid Yell junior highs looming, Carmichael and Scott are calling on the council leadership to “bring both, plus any additional future proposals, to an immediate stop”.
Scott said: “We need to put our children’s future first in the islands schools again. What is taught and learnt in the classroom must become the most important thing that happens.
“SIC is making good progress towards a stable financial position and has already made significant savings across Shetland’s education system. However, the prospect of further school closures is intensely damaging right across Shetland.
“Pupils sitting exams this year did well. That is to the credit of our high schools and junior highs despite the threat of closure hanging over some schools.
“Shetland education needs to concentrate on the quality of education, vocational routes into work and putting the right structure in place. That work will be easier if there is no damaging and divisive closure consultation hanging over pupils, parents and schools. There is also a huge impact on SIC education officials and teachers and that needs to stop.
“Shetland’s young people deserve the best start in life. Education gives them a grounding towards university, college, and other routes into work. This is where we believe the council’s efforts should now be fully focused and not on school closures.”
Meanwhile Carmichael, who will be seeking re-election in the Northern Isles at May’s UK general election, said he did not “normally intervene in council business” and they “have a difficult and thankless job to do”.
“Sometimes, however, the issue is just too important to be silent,” he said. “This is one of those times. Despite a lengthy consultation period I believe that the current proposals remain flawed and that it would be a mistake to proceed with them.
“In particular, closing schools that will require daily travel by sea by children remains part of the proposals. I simply fail to see how this can be anything other than stressful and disruptive to the education of children at what are some of the most important points in their education.
“Shetland’s education is something of which we should all be proud. The council should now seek to move forward with a coherent education vision that can command the confidence and support of the community.
“There are many challenges that face us living in the Northern Isles. The fact that we give a first class education to our children is one of our greatest strengths. It is something of which we should be proud and in which we should only contemplate change if it will lead to improvement.”
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