EXCLUSIVE: Opposition parties have warned SNP ministers they cannot ignore the situation in many of the country’s schools, where parents and pupils have reported worsening behaviour.
John Swinney has been challenged to spell out how he will improve Scots schools where “standards are down and violence is up“.
The First Minister will today announce his Programme for Government for the next five years, with a focus expected on slashing costs across the public sector and offering Scots more support with the cost of living.
But opposition parties have warned SNP ministers they cannot ignore the situation in many of the country’s schools, where parents and pupils have reported worsening behaviour and rising cases of playground violence.
The Record previously reported how campaigners have called on members of the public to “seriously consider” the impact of youth violence in a consultation about phone bans in Scottish schools.
The discussion has been opened to help the Scottish Government work out “finer details” of a ban. It comes amid the Record’s Our Kids … Our Future campaign, which was launched in 2023 after a spate of violent attacks on young people in Scotland were filmed and uploaded online.
Labour and the Lib Dems are now calling on SNP ministers to set out how to improve standards ahead of the publication next week of the PISA report, the world’s largest international comparative survey of 15-year-old students.
The last PISA publication in 2023 found standards across Scots high schools had slipped.
Duncan Dunlop, Scottish Lib Dems education spokesman, said: “Scotland’s education system used to be the envy of the world, but under the SNP, it has suffered blow after blow.
“Standards are down and violence is up. Not enough is being done to allow communities to help schools as there’s no meaningful participation. Headteachers also lack the powers they need.
“Scottish Liberal Democrats were the first to call for a ban on mobile phones in classrooms, and it’s important we see that incorporated into the programme for government.
“Ultimately, if John Swinney’s agenda is to be worth the paper it’s written on, he will need to produce a clear plan for boosting support for teachers and pupils so we can return Scottish education to its best.”
Katherine Sangster, Scottish Labour education spokeswoman, said: “After 20 years of the SNP, Scotland no longer has a world-renowned education system.
“That is a damning indictment of the failure we have seen after decades of neglect by SNP ministers. In schools, attendance is at a record low, violence is at a record high, and the poverty related attainment gap is widening.
“That is entirely unacceptable and it is why the SNP must use this Programme for Government as an opportunity to tackle the challenges that are facing our education system.
“The SNP are yet to deliver on promises made in the last parliament – from reducing teacher class contact time to universal free lunches.
“We cannot have yet more broken promises. The SNP must start delivering and restoring our education system to the standard it should.”
The Record asked the Scottish Government for comment.
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