The leader of Aberdeen City Council has warned that the Scottish Government’s new education proposals will be an “utter disaster” and called them “government by soundbite.”
Under the proposals, drawn up by John Swinney, schools will come under the control of new regional boards which would be separate from local authorities.
The education secretary also wants to pass more power straight to headteachers.
But Jenny Laing, who also convenes the Scottish Local Government Partnership, which represents Glasgow, Aberdeen, Renfrewshire and South Lanarkshire, has attacked the move.
She said: “We are seeing more power sucked back to the centre.
“Where is the rationale for regional education boards? With this idea, there is a distinct lack of strategy, long-term vision or duty of care to the teachers and pupils.
“It will wreck efforts over the past few years by local authorities to negate Nicola Sturgeon’s appalling record on literacy and numeracy, not to mention poverty and attainment.”
“The first minister has been in power for ten years and yet we have more and more children leaving school unable to read and write.
“This is government by soundbite and announced without any thought of how councils will implement it.
“For me, it is ineptitude on a grand scale.
“The Scottish Government is proving time and again that it is not capable of improving the lives of ordinary Scots.
“This policy will be an utter disaster.”
The Scottish government has claimed the changes will give parents and teachers more power and ensure decisions are taken at school level.
