Union rejects 'skills academies'

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A teaching union claims Labour's plans for skills academies could lead to a return to separate schools for the brighter pupils.

The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) called on Jack McConnell to defend comprehensive education.

The first minister said the academies would give less-academic youngsters the chance to begin learning a trade.

Mr McConnell added that there was a generation of youngsters failed by a system which was too academic.

The EIS, which is launching its manifesto for the Holyrood election, said the plan could threaten the Scottish education system.

General secretary Ronnie Smith said: "Any proposals to introduce new specialist or vocational schools, for example, have the potential to undermine the ideals of a comprehensive education system that offers equality of opportunity for all.

There has been a generation of Scottish youngsters that have been failed by a system that became too academic Jack McConnellFirst Minister

"Any move to introduce elements of selection based on perceived academic ability, or a return to the discredited system of junior and senior secondary schools, would be fiercely opposed by teachers and parents across Scotland."

But Mr McConnell, a former teacher, defended the skills academies - a key strand of Labour's Holyrood election campaign.

He wants to see youngsters choose an academic or a vocational path at the age of 14 - or a combination of both.

"There has been a generation of Scottish youngsters that have been failed by a system that became too academic and that dropped the previous commitment to vocational education that meant so much for so many youngsters," he said.

"We are absolutely determined that in the next session of parliament we will introduce skills academies."

'Pigeon holing'

He said pupils already chose between different subjects and different courses in the later years of school life.

"What they don't have at the moment is the opportunity to choose vocational options - proper training that would help them into work - and we are determined that they get those options," he said.

"As a result we will see Scotland have a higher level of skills as a nation."

Mr McConnell also backed a return to literacy and numeracy tests in the upper years of secondary school.

But Mr Smith said the introduction of any such "limited and narrowly defined" tests was likely to reduce rather than raise real attainment.

The SNP's education spokeswoman Fiona Hyslop said: "Jack McConnell got it badly wrong when he said that skills academies should be for those who are struggling in academic subjects - it smacks of a return to selection and pigeon holing pupils too young."