John Finnie, Independent MSP for Highlands and Islands, has today written to the Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning and the Head of Children’s Services and Resources at Comhairle nan Eilean Siar to step in and resolve the reported dissatisfaction of the sixth year pupils.
It has been reported that this week the entire sixth year at Sgoil Lionacleit on Benbecula requested leaver’s forms from the school. This was in response to the issues regarding the availability and timetabling of their subjects. The pupils who are in their last year of High School are concerned that the choice of available courses will hamper their prospects for University and College places.
Commenting Mr Finnie said:
“I am deeply concerned to hear that the entire sixth year requested a leaver’s form from the school authorities, something that I have not heard having happened at any other school. The pupils actions speak loudly and clearly that they feel this situation regarding the courses must be tackled. This is not just a few pupils, but almost an entire year.
“I have written to both the Scottish Government and the Comhairle to implore them to take action to resolve this situation to the satisfaction of both the pupils and their parents.
“I believe that increasingly collaborative working across schools, and indeed across local authorities, utilising information technology must form a part of the way forward to provide a as wide as possible choice for our pupils to prepare themselves for university, college and the working world.
“Creative ways must be used to ensure the necessary cohort of pupils can be assembled to make subjects viable. It’s a system that works through the collegiate network of the University of Highlands and Islands and there is no reason, given a willingness, that it can’t work for the many schools with relatively small numbers across the Highlands and Islands.
“It’s vital that we maintain all our local schools and not allow a ‘we’ve always done it that way’ approach to hamper children’s prospects.”
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