Labour candidate lambasts Scottish government’s education record

Labour Party candidate Johan Adamosn outside the Anderson High school in Lerwick.

Labour by-election candidate Johan Adamson has criticised the SNP’s handling of Scottish education.

Commenting on deputy first minister John Swinney’s recent visit to Shetland, she said the SNP was failing to tackle the problems of underfunding, workload and curricular confusion in Scotland’s schools.

Ms Adamson said it was simply unfair for the SNP to launch initiatives like standardised assessments and structural reforms to the management of education when teachers and others needed a reduction in workload and time to teach.

She said the pay issue had only been resolved because of the teaching unions standing firm, and that teachers and parents had little confidence in a curriculum that is confusing and overloaded with needless paperwork.

Ms Adamson said: “Nobody in Scottish education believes that things are going well. Just look at what teachers and others are saying.

“Too little support for ASN, mindless bureaucracy for teachers and endless confusion for parents and pupils.

“If Nicola Sturgeon wants to be judged on education as she has said, she should resign immediately.”