In the late 1980s there was some debate about the "Englishing" of Scottish Education, reflecting a widely held view that the separate and unique traditions of Scottish education were being threatened by an English-base agenda for educational reform, e.g. School Boards, 'opting out', national testing, etc. That threat remains and will only be averted when the Scottish community has the opportunity to identify its own educational priorities and to fulfil its own obligations. The political reality is that this can only be achieved through the establishment of a directly elected Scottish Parliament.
One of the great strengths of the Scottish educational system as it has developed over the years is its unique relationship to the wider community and to those who live and work within that community. Central to that relationship are the links which have been forged between parents and teachers. There are other important links - with churches, trades unions, political parties, community organisations and local business. Scottish education is a partnership among all those who are concerned for the welfare of the young - and from this partnership has emerged a remarkable consensus about the kind of education which meets the needs of the community and of young people themselves. There is consensus too about what should be taught in schools and about the ability of the comprehensive system to deliver that service.
Above all, there is consensus that the young people of Scotland should have the best possible opportunity to develop their full potential and to be prepared for the world of work and for their place in the wider community. No policy for Scottish education will stand wider scrutiny unless it is founded on that consensus within Scottish education - again, that can only be guaranteed through the establishment of a Scottish Parliament.
The people of Scotland must be given the opportunity to set their own educational agenda, to decide for themselves the educational priorities and to consider issues such as the provision of nursery education and the structure of post-16 provision. The wider community has a responsibility to help ensure quality education provision within educational establishments. In Scotland, this provision has been achieved largely through the local authority structure. Within that structure, there should be a process of accountability which assures that while catering for the needs of individual pupils and of schools, local authorities can have a broader educational and social perspective. Local authorities should have at their disposal adequate resources to provide the necessary level of funding for all educational establishments and to ensure that no child is in any way disadvantaged due to social class, race, gender or disability.
Current government (Web Editor's note: i.e. the previous Conservative government) attitudes to local authority funding and the changes in local government resulting from the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1994 threaten the stability of local authorities to make such provision. Under a Scottish Parliament there would be proper, considered debate about the appropriate structure for Scotland and, while education would be a major priority area for the new Parliament, local authorities would still have an important role to play in educational provision and in responding to the needs of the community as a whole.
Young people in Scotland should have access to Further and Higher Education. Since April 1993, Further Education colleges have been removed from local authority control and this has undermined the traditional relationship between the colleges and the community. The future management of Scotland's Further Education Colleges should be a matter for the Scottish people. Adult education has an important role to play in providing educational opportunities for a whole range of people living and working in the community. It should be given proper priority and adequately funded. Higher Education should be available to all who would be able to benefit from it, regardless of background. Students deserve equality of access to all colleges of further and higher education and should be entitled to appropriate financial provision. The needs of further and higher education, as for all other levels of education, would best be served by the setting up of a Scottish Parliament. Indeed, this Parliament should be responsible for all areas of education form nursery school through to university.
In the 1990s and beyond into the 21st century, the structure of Scottish education should be that which best serves the needs of young people and the wider community. Any structure requires to be open, democratic and accountable, and these factors should underlie any future local authority structure. Priorities for Scottish education are best determined in Scotland and this would best be achieved through the setting up of a Scottish Parliament elected directly by the Scottish people.
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