Education Bill Provisions Response - SCDC response
/The Scottish Government is proposing system wide changes, including the development of a new Education Bill, to improve education outcomes in Scotland for learners of all ages.
SCDC submitted a written response to the Scottish Government’s consultation on proposals for a new qualifications body and a new approach to inspection of Education in Scotland. This included elements of the proposed Education Bill, which ran from November to December 2023.
Our response focussed on the impact of the proposals for lifelong learning, in particular its importance in supporting community development and community activists, and the impact of proposals on the inspection of Community Learning & Development.
The proposals were informed by two recent reports commissioned by the Scottish Government. The first was Improving Schools in Scotland: An OECD Perspective which provided an independent review of the Curriculum for Excellence. The second was Putting Learners at the Centre: Towards a Future Vision for Scottish Education which provided recommendations on the structure and functions of the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and Education Scotland.
Summary of our Overall Position
We welcomed the aim to have a wide range of qualifications of different types and levels to suit diverse interests and aspirations. We believe that this should be done in a way which addresses the attainment gap for learners of all ages and that mechanisms be put in place to ensure inclusion of those learners or potential learners facing the greatest inequalities or barriers to participation in education, to ensure that their needs are met.
We welcome proposals to enhance sharing evidence from inspections be used as fully as possible and recommended that this should include Community Learning & Development functions, in particular community development and community capacity building. We recommended that this evidence should be shared across Scottish Government, such as with those Ministers responsible for community empowerment and regeneration, in addition to those responsible for Education.
How Qualifications are Developed & Delivered
Adult learning qualifications should be flexible, accessible, relevant and build in accreditation for prior learning and informal learning. There should be clear progression pathways from informal into formal learning and consideration should be given as qualifications are developed as to how they could be delivered to best reduce potential barriers for learners experiencing inequalities. Consideration should be given to the costs of accessing qualifications and building in flexibility of delivery, in particular opportunities for workplace-based learning routes.
The Importance of learning, skills and qualifications in Community Development
We highlighted the importance of learning, skills and qualifications in enabling and empowering individuals and communities to identify their own learning, skills and strengths to participate in their community and wider democratic processes. We highlighted the importance of existing wider achievement programmes and qualifications such as Health Issues in the Community, Adult Achievement Awards and Youth Achievement Awards. These types of programmes and awards provide valuable opportunities for young people and adults to gain recognition for their skills and achievements and participate in community action on issues which are important to them and are examples of the types of flexible, inclusive qualifications which could help address the attainment gap.
Inspection of Community Learning & Development
We believe that inspection, in addition to contributing to education policy and provision, should reflect public accountability and assurance on the quality of community capacity building and its contribution to the wider community empowerment agenda across Scottish Government as set out in Audit Scotland’s Principles for Community Empowerment.