Some subjects are being entirely removed from rural secondary schools, a Conservative MSP told the Scottish Parliament today.
Oliver Mundell, the party’s former education spokesperson, made the claim in relation to a parliamentary question prompted by concerns among school leaders that certain subjects, including languages, could disappear in schools as a result of budget pressures.
The issue was raised this afternoon by Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Willie Rennie, who asked the Scottish government if a reduction in the Scottish budget would lead to “subjects being removed from the curriculum”.
Mr Mundell, who represents Dumfriesshire, a constituency with many smaller and rural schools, suggested this was already happening when he questioned Jamie Hepburn, the minister for higher and further education, youth employment and training.
“Rural schools have already seen whole subjects removed from the timetable,” Mr Mundell said. “Surely the minister can’t be proud that in parts of Scotland you can’t take whole subject areas - that’s not educational opportunities for all.
“How can it be right that my Dumfriesshire constituents, at the likes of Moffat Academy, have less opportunities today than I did when I was at school [Mr Mundell is 33]? He can’t be proud of that.”
School funding: fears of subjects being dropped
In response, Mr Hepburn insisted on looking at what he saw as the big picture: that “there’s a much wider array of subject matter available” in the senior phase of secondary school than when he was at school [he is 43], including a number of “technical qualifications”.
He added: “So I am very pleased to see an increased range of subject matter available to young people, an increased range of choices available to young people than frankly were available...when I was at school.”
The initial question in Parliament from Mr Rennie referenced comments from School Leaders Scotland general secretary Jim Thewliss, who had told BBC Scotland’s Sunday Politics show that some school subjects, including languages, might no longer be offered as a result of budget pressures across the country, if they only attract small numbers in the senior phase (S4-6).
Mr Thewliss also said that class sizes were likely to grow and that any further budget cuts could result in falling numbers of teachers.
