FINNIE- SNP FAIL ON CLASS SIZES ONCE AGAIN

Written by Ross Finnie on Thu 4th Mar 2010

West of Scotland Liberal Democrat MSP Ross Finnie has called for the SNP Government to be held accountable over yet more failures on the class size pledge.

The Association of Directors of Education in Scotland (ADES) said yesterday that greater flexibility was needed over the SNP pledge to have classes of 18 or fewer in primaries one to three. The Scottish Government then announced it had failed to legislate a new limit on class sizes in time for this year's school intake. Fiona Hyslop the former Education Secretary promised in September to make it law that primary one classes could not contain more than 25 pupils.

Commenting Mr Finnie said:

"The SNP's class size policy has been a shambles from the beginning and the recent announcement from the SNP Government that they have failed to legislate for a new limit of 25 on primary one classes in time for this years school intake only compounds the failure.

"How the SNP Government can demand local Councils like East Dunbartonshire reduce class sizes with no legislative support is mind-boggling.

"Local authorities across Scotland need clarity and guidance from the Scottish Government on class sizes not more confusion and less support."

Ends