Controversial plans to cut pupils’ learning hours in Falkirk will not go ahead.
The idea has been on the table for most of this year, with Falkirk’s proposals seen as one of the most radical ideas to address the financial difficulties facing Scottish local authorities.
However, the Scottish government has previously expressed its opposition to any move to reduce the learning week, and that stance was underlined by education secretary Jenny Gilruth earlier this week.
A decision had previously been delayed at a Falkirk Council meeting in October.
The matter came up again at a meeting yesterday. As reported in the Falkirk Herald, Declan McGavin, a member of the Scottish Youth Parliament, told members he had spoken to “hundreds of young people” who thought that reducing school hours “would be devastating for education in Falkirk”.
SNP council leader Cecil Meiklejohn, whose party has the highest number of councillors in Falkirk, said she recognised there was no support for reducing learning hours.
However, the SNP wanted to keep the option of moving to an “asymmetric week”, which would still mean an earlier finish on a Friday, but with time added to other days rather than reducing overall learning hours.
Decision needed soon
Ms Meiklejohn said that a decision would need to be taken soon, as the council has “a £54 million gap to fill”.
The SNP’s bid to keep the asymmetric week as an option was not supported by any opposition councillors. Labour and independent councillors have asked council officials to explore other ideas for savings.
The meeting also heard that the implications of extra money announced for local authorities in last week’s Scottish Budget were not yet clear.
Falkirk councillors agreed that, given the complexity of the financial situation, the meeting to set next year’s local budget should be later than scheduled, now going ahead on 6 March.
For the latest in Scottish education delivered directly to your inbox, sign up for Tes’ The Week in Scotland newsletter
