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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Pledge to boost primary teachers | Pledge to boost primary teachers |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Scottish councils will receive funding to employ 300 more nursery and primary teachers from August in a bid to reduce class sizes, the government has said. | Scottish councils will receive funding to employ 300 more nursery and primary teachers from August in a bid to reduce class sizes, the government has said. |
| However, the SNP administration did not make a firm commitment to its manifesto pledge of keeping class sizes to no more than 18 in primaries 1-3. | |
| Former education minister Hugh Henry accused the government of failing to deliver on election promises. | Former education minister Hugh Henry accused the government of failing to deliver on election promises. |
| He claimed that ministers' plans were lacking in detail. | He claimed that ministers' plans were lacking in detail. |
| Speaking in the Scottish Parliament, Education Secretary Fiona Hyslop also said the entitlement for three and four-year-olds to pre-school education would be increased to 475 hours a year from the autumn. | Speaking in the Scottish Parliament, Education Secretary Fiona Hyslop also said the entitlement for three and four-year-olds to pre-school education would be increased to 475 hours a year from the autumn. |
| If you speak to many teachers the reality is they would rather be teaching a class of 30 well behaved youngsters than a class of 20 where they had two or three who were poorly behaved Murdo Fraser MSPTory education spokesman | If you speak to many teachers the reality is they would rather be teaching a class of 30 well behaved youngsters than a class of 20 where they had two or three who were poorly behaved Murdo Fraser MSPTory education spokesman |
| She said the government was serious about cutting class sizes, adding: "We are sorting out the problems the last government caused and are happy to do so. | She said the government was serious about cutting class sizes, adding: "We are sorting out the problems the last government caused and are happy to do so. |
| "This government is moving fast to start delivering on class sizes." | "This government is moving fast to start delivering on class sizes." |
| Ministers will take on the £9m annual cost of employing the additional teachers and Ms Hyslop added that postgraduate teacher training places would also increase by at least 250. | Ministers will take on the £9m annual cost of employing the additional teachers and Ms Hyslop added that postgraduate teacher training places would also increase by at least 250. |
| However, Mr Henry, Labour education spokesman, said: "We have an administration which I think has over-promised. It will under-deliver and I think we are going to be left with a lot of disappointed people across Scotland." | However, Mr Henry, Labour education spokesman, said: "We have an administration which I think has over-promised. It will under-deliver and I think we are going to be left with a lot of disappointed people across Scotland." |
| 'No targets' | 'No targets' |
| He claimed the SNP manifesto had been "very explicit" when it promised class sizes of 18 or less for the first three years of primary school, adding: "There were no ifs, there were no buts." | He claimed the SNP manifesto had been "very explicit" when it promised class sizes of 18 or less for the first three years of primary school, adding: "There were no ifs, there were no buts." |
| Liberal Democrat education spokesman Jeremy Purvis said education had been "down the list" of debates and priorities of the new administration. | Liberal Democrat education spokesman Jeremy Purvis said education had been "down the list" of debates and priorities of the new administration. |
| "The cabinet secretary simply cannot get away with coming to this parliament without targets," he added. | "The cabinet secretary simply cannot get away with coming to this parliament without targets," he added. |
| Murdo Fraser, the Conservative education spokesman, said his party would be "sympathetic" to smaller class sizes, but added: "We certainly don't think that should be the be all and end all of education policy. | Murdo Fraser, the Conservative education spokesman, said his party would be "sympathetic" to smaller class sizes, but added: "We certainly don't think that should be the be all and end all of education policy. |
| "If you speak to many teachers the reality is they would rather be teaching a class of 30 well behaved youngsters than a class of 20 where they had two or three who were poorly behaved." | "If you speak to many teachers the reality is they would rather be teaching a class of 30 well behaved youngsters than a class of 20 where they had two or three who were poorly behaved." |