PETER Peacock, the education minister, has called on schools inspectors to investigate the standard of teacher training, amid fears that the need to find more places for students may lead to a drop in quality, The Scotsman can reveal.The main opposition party is, naturally, in disagreement:
Fiona Hyslop, the SNP education spokeswoman, said: "I think Peter Peacock is chasing his tail on teacher recruitment and training.And the alternative? Come on now; this is the SNP we're talking about. Ms Hyslop wants a government plan:
"Instead of planning in advance, he is choosing to use the big stick of the HMI. He should have planned for quality support for student teachers in the first place, rather than using penalties and threats."Planning! Of course: Come back Clement Attlee, all is forgiven.
Why can't anyone - and the Tories seem to be silent on this - make the obvious point? There is a way for us to have the best possible monitoring of teachers and that's for us to privatise all of our schools. I recognise that most people think that education should be funded by the taxpayer, but that's no reason for the state to actually operate schools. Privately managed organisations go out of business if they don't satisfy customers. There's a built-in quality control system that doesn't require bureaucratic government inspectors or plans. Why don't we give it a try?
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Squander Two
> just because a majority of people think that education should be funded from compulsorary tax doesn't make it moral or sensible.
No, but it does make it electable.
27 September 2004, 09:14:38 GMT+01:00
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David Malloch
I think Mr Farrer is correct when he recognises that it is difficult for the SNP to attack Labour on this issue because fundamentally they are in agreement with them as to how education should be run in Scotland (that is by the state). And with the Tories too timid to do anything, what is going to change? (nothing most probably).
24 September 2004, 23:15:46 GMT+01:00
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Rob Read
Surely just allowing parents to borrow the money to put their children through not beurocrat controlled schools would be better than tax?
Oh and just because a majority of people think that education should be funded from compulsorary tax doesn't make it moral or sensible.
24 September 2004, 18:29:18 GMT+01:00
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dave t
As a student teacher at Stirling Uni, I could not agree more! Peacock, who lost in the election in Moray (3rd behind the SNP and Tories!)still got a sinecure which he knows little about having been a good boy for Labour and No 1 on their Highlands list. Get rid of him and his silly little notions which he comes out with every few months to try and justify his lack of ability as a minister. Privatise all schools now! Give me higher wages and better teaching resources if I work hard for them! Pay me bonuses if my kids do better than Mrs McSporran's in the next class! Sack useless old farts like me if I don't come up to standard! Ooops! Delete that last bit! The union won't like it....
23 September 2004, 20:20:29 GMT+01:00
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