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A budget cut too far             25/1/13

 

An open letter to Catriona Stewart, Education chairperson

Thank you for your reply to my email detailing your position on the subject of the removal of itinerant teachers.

I am of the opinion that you are failing to take any note of what the public are telling you. Not one person, including the Comhairle's officers and members present, at either of the Stornoway meetings, suggested cutting primary teachers out of the equation or, indeed, even intimated that had been, or should ever be, considered. Not one single person stood up and supported the removal - which was in the original consultation, called a reduction - of the service that itinerant teachers provide. Not one person out of circa 400 people. I would be interested to know how many notes of support the proposed cut had from the online survey and how notes of dissent the Comhairle received.

The proposal is not support by parents, Parent Councils, staff, senior teachers - as evidenced at the recent meeting - and also a large number of Councillors that have responded to me. I agree that teachers have the basic standard to teach the subjects to a minimum level. This means that pupils who are stronger in the areas currently supported by itinerants will have a reduction in the standard of teaching. This must go against the Curriculum for Excellence. The class teacher may be able to sing, but how are they going to engage the children into playing a musical instrument that they have no knowledge of? Are we expecting class teachers to start teaching badminton or gymnastics in business attire?

The issue of instructors is something that cannot be relied on. As detailed at the recent meeting, these instructors have limited space, scope, time and, with all due respect, are not teachers. They maybe experts on one or two aspects of their chosen field, but cannot hope to cover the same amount of diversity the itinerants cover. One parent at the meeting explained at some length to the Chair that her daughter had to draw straws to see if she could get music instruction at her school. This cannot be part of a solution.

My understanding of some of the extra provision, such as active schools, is that they are funded externally by groups such as Sport Scotland. Currently, according to CNES website, they cater only for upper primary children and older. This is also true of music instructors and YMI. I am not even sure that there is any other provision available for Art. What happens when these agencies are forced to pull funding? We do not have the resources in the Western Isles to provide these activities outwith the school. Even if we did, I fear it would only be for the wealthier inhabitants. This will, in the not too distant future, result in families leaving the islands, something the Comhairle has committed to addressing.

After speaking to some elected members, they are of the opinion that a reduced, more streamlined service would be feasible and desirable. Has this been looked into or has the big scythe become immovable?

In my original email, I asked why can we not be better than other authorities. I still await an answer on that.

I fully appreciate the fact that cuts need to be made, but this is too far. It is not acceptable to the public and therefore, I implore you to find a different solution. This is why we have elected members and pay officers - they need to find alternatives. The public demand one.

Graham Cay
18 MacSween Drive
Aird

Point

Lewis
 

 

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