Created on: 05 Jun 2024
The EIS welcomes the publication of the Education (Scotland) Bill today. The introduction of this legislation finally sees some concrete movement by the Scottish Government to progress key elements of Education Reform to which it committed back in 2021.
The EIS has over this time called for an end to the delay and for action to implement change, starting with the dissolution of the SQA – a body whose reputation is irreparably damaged by having become distant from and unresponsive to the professional viewpoints of teachers. We have been clear that in establishing a new qualifications body, there must be genuine participation of teaching professionals at all levels of governance and that a simple rebranding of the old organisation will not be acceptable to our members who expect real and meaningful change.
Commenting on the publication of the Bill, General Secretary, Andrea Bradley said, ‘We welcome the commitment today from the Cabinet Secretary that Qualifications Scotland will ensure that ‘the knowledge and experience of pupils and teachers are central to decisions taken on qualifications and assessment’ and note the proposed increased representation of teachers and college lecturers in the agency’s membership arrangements. As with all legislation, the devil is in the detail and we will take time now to consider that detail, to ensure that teachers’ voice is central to the decision-making processes.
She continued, ‘It is disappointing that despite the recommendation from two independent reviews, the Scottish Government has again rejected the need for separation of the awarding and regulation functions of the new qualifications body. We will be looking closely at the terms of the Bill to ensure that governance arrangements are sufficiently robust to ensure transparency, equity and fairness in the discharge of these functions. The new agency can’t continue to ‘mark its own homework’.
Referencing the proposals in relation to the school inspections, Ms Bradley said, ‘We welcome moves to create greater independence for the new Inspectorate and the specific provisions which will ensure that the new role of HM Chief Inspector of Education for Scotland is in law, independent of, and not subject to, the direction or control, of government. The details of the governance arrangements in the Bill will merit detailed consideration to ensure that this independence permeates the appointment of staff and the ability of the Inspectorate to discharge its functions without government interference.
‘However, if change is to be meaningful, then these structural changes must be accompanied by cultural change around the inspection process. We need to see a departure from top-down accountability approaches, which stifle collaborative practice and drive unnecessary stress, and move towards a model of practitioner-led evaluation, with time invested to facilitate a more collegiate approach and peer review. A practical first step would be to put an end to the insidious practice of labelling schools through grading processes.’
She concluded, ‘We hope that the introduction of the Education (Scotland) Bill today marks the impetus for the Scottish Government to continue the journey of Education Reform and will provide the momentum to drive forward the necessary and meaningful change to qualifications and assessment in the Senior Phase which are set out so compellingly in the Hayward Review.’