Scottish Liberal Democrat Tavish Scott has challenged the First Minister to explain why he thought it was more important to write to councils about school holidays rather that what’s happening in our classrooms.

The First Minister wrote to Education Conveners demanding they declare a school holiday on St Andrews Day. That’s despite the threat of strikes in our classrooms, the difficulties with Curriculum for Excellence, plummeting teacher numbers and the broken class size promise.

Commenting after First Minister’s Questions, Mr Scott said:

“54,000 children start a new curriculum in August. Scottish schools aren’t ready. Teachers can’t get jobs. But the First Minister thinks it’s more important to write about holidays than what’s happening in our classrooms.

“The SNP Government has written to councils about this before. They didn’t have much luck. The First Minister’s letter says ‘I was disappointed to discover… over four authorities actually got back to us with their views’. Only four out of 32 education conveners replied, even though 12 are paid-up, card-carrying members of the SNP. Not even they thought it important enough to reply.

“The First Minister should be writing to Education Conveners about education. His priorities are wrong.”