THE SNP’s flagship policy on class sizes came under attack last night after the Tories produced a dossier which they said proved it was “unachievable, unaffordable and educationally unsound”.
They said damning feedback from local authorities showed the “one size fits all” proposals were deeply flawed.
Nine councils in the central belt said they needed millions of pounds in extra funding to recruit new teachers and provide additional classrooms.
Tory chief whip David McLetchie said 21 of 32 councils had signed off single-outcome agreements which made no mention of a commitment to reduce P1-3 class sizes to 18. They included Aberdeen, where primary schools are being closed, Aberdeenshire, Moray, Highland, Argyll and Bute, Orkney, Shetland, Perth and Kinross and Stirling.
The policy was not mentioned in the SNP’s legislative programme unveiled last week, raising speculation that it will not be implemented by 2011 as promised.
The government, however, is determined to press ahead, despite the fact that the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland says the real cost of the policy is likely to be £422million – more than 10 times the original estimate.
It says £62million will be needed for additional staff and £360million for new classrooms.
Mr McLetchie said: “In a parliamentary answer to me, Schools Minister Maureen Watt has confirmed that the Scottish Government will not amend its guidance on local authority proposals for the school estate to include reference to the commitment in its concordat with local government.
“Moreover, Education Secretary Fiona Hyslop, in a separate answer, has said she is confident the policy will be delivered without the need for the legislation.
“But this flies in the face of recent court decisions and the incompatibility of a parental right to choose enshrined in law against a class-size policy which is mere guidance.”
Tory schools spokeswoman Liz Smith said councils would struggle to meet other education commitments if the SNP “persisted” in charging ahead with the policy.
“There are huge pressures in the schools estate and problems with recruiting enough teachers and composite classes, especially in rural areas.
“I am worried this is educationally unsound because when children go into P4 the classes will be bigger and that will destroy everything.”
Ms Smith, a former teacher, said decisions on class sizes should be made by head teachers to reflect local conditions and teaching experience.
A Scottish Government spokesman said the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities had agreed that the commitment would be delivered — and how that was done was a matter for local government.
He added: “It was not necessary for local authorities to mention class sizes in their single-outcome agreements, therefore this is not a clear reflection of the positions of councils.
“It is clear that even those councils which make no reference to class sizes, such as Fife and Moray, are committed to making progress.”