Tory grandee Michael Gove has offered to assist SNP ministers in improving Scotland's schools by sharing insights from England's educational approach. Gove, a former UK education secretary, stated that children have "paid the price" for what he described as "ideological fads" and increasing classroom indiscipline under the Scottish National Party (SNP) administration.
Writing in The Times, the Aberdonian peer suggested that Scottish schools could "recover their reputation for excellence" if the government were to alter its course. He indicated that such a change would require "a wee bit of humility on the part of the Scottish Government."
Scotland's slide in international league tables, including the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) study, prompted Gove's offer. The latest PISA results showed that 15-year-old Scottish pupils achieved an all-time low in reading and mathematics, though their performance in science saw an improvement compared to the 2022 study. Scottish students now trail their English counterparts by six months in reading and over a year in science and mathematics.
First Minister John Swinney faced criticism after characterizing the PISA results as indicative of an "essentially stable" education system. Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay described the SNP's stance as "typically close-minded and petty," suggesting that the party would likely reject Gove's offer despite his perceived success in transforming English schools. Findlay contrasted this with the SNP's alleged "sabotaging the prospects of a generation of young Scots by trashing Scottish education."
Lord Gove expressed his willingness to collaborate with Màiri McAllan, the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, and Ivan McKee, the Minister for Public Service Reform. He conveyed his profound sadness over Scottish pupils' lower literacy, numeracy, and scientific abilities compared to their peers in England, asserting that the disparity is "political" rather than due to the students' or teachers' capabilities.
Gove further elaborated that Scottish children are "taught less about the world around them" and face significant classroom disruption. He stated, "Ask any teacher and they will tell you there is a behaviour crisis in our schools and that disruptive students cannot be excluded and dealt with appropriately."
A spokesperson for McAllan acknowledged that the Cabinet Secretary engages with various individuals on educational matters. However, the spokesperson added that meeting "one of the key architects of Tory austerity will not be at the top of that list."