Size matters in ensuring a brighter future

IN PARLIAMENT last week, pupils were at the forefront of debate. The SNP revealed that the Government is going back on its promise to the people of Scotland to improve the education system by cutting class sizes.

Although they pledged after the last election to cut S1 and S2 class sizes for English and maths to a maximum of 20, the SNP discovered that not a single mainland council is reaching this target.

Indeed, the figures made for some fiery clashes between our deputy leader, Nicola Sturgeon, and the man responsible, Jack McConnell.

This is a poor performance on the part of the Ministers, and very telling about the Government's capacity to deliver public services. To add to this, the Lib-Lab coalition is also failing to deliver on its commitment to keep P1 classes to 25 or below. The latest Pupils in Scotland report showed that 41% of all P1 pupils are in classes of more than 25.

Education is one of the most fundamental and vital policy areas. It is not only a universal right to all, but the key to an advanced and prosperous society.

It is only with a highly skilled and educated workforce that we can achieve a successful economy. Skills and training are critical to developing our area and making the transition to modern industries such as technology and tourism.

There is no doubt that our teachers and education professionals are doing a terrific job educating our children and young people, particularly in our schools in Banff and Buchan. The glowing report on Boddam School published by HMIE was a clear indication of the dedication of teachers. However, many teachers are working under strained conditions, with oversized classes and inadequate resources. Study after study has shown that class size is pivotal to creating the right learning environment and guaranteeing pupils a good education.

An SNP government will continue to bridge this gap by increasing staff and cutting class sizes. We will reduce P1, 2 and 3 classes to 18 pupils or less. It is only in this way that we can ensure the brighter future that our young people deserve.