Education and Lifelong Learning
Good afternoon. The first item of business this afternoon is themed questions on education and lifelong learning. In order to get as many people in as possible I would prefer short, succinct questions and answers to match.
Higher Education (Funding)
The system that is used to fund colleges is under review. I expect the review to look at all aspects of college funding, including the way in which higher education courses are supported.
The minister has not answered the question about whether funding will be provided to colleges for higher education. That is quite concerning, because a number of colleges in my region have indicated to me that they provide up to 20 per cent of higher education courses. Given the numerous cuts to college budgets that have already been made, does the minister envisage colleges cutting back on higher education courses that they currently provide and focusing solely on the provision of further education courses? If so, will that not limit the choice of students, whereas the Government claims that its reforms will increase choice and add progression?
No, I do not anticipate higher education courses ceasing in colleges. That would be ridiculous. As the member says, further education colleges provide up to 20 per cent of higher education courses—actually, it is a bit more than 20 per cent—and that is a valuable contribution. It follows from that that the Government will continue to fund higher education in colleges, so the question is entirely spurious.
Does the cabinet secretary agree that James Watt College, which serves my constituency, would be in a much better financial position if it had not entered into a private finance initiative deal under the previous Labour Government whereby, to fund an £8.6 million contract, it will have to repay a whopping £49.2 million, £33.6 million of which is still outstanding?
That is undoubtedly true. The way in which the previous Administration encouraged a whole range of public bodies to undertake that type of funding was extremely reckless and very foolish, and now there is a legacy to be paid for. How we can factor that in is a matter of considerable discussion when we look at the future of certain parts of the college sector. I hope that when people look at the college sector in future, they will recognise that the type of capital funding that we are providing is much better and reflects a real increase in our support for the college sector.
Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council (Indicative Funding Levels)
My strategic letter of guidance asks the Scottish funding council to provide indicative allocations for the academic year 2012-13 around the end of 2011. This matter regularly forms the subject of the discussion that I have with college principals and others.
I am sure that the minister will understand the concerns that there are about the Government’s proposed savage cuts in colleges throughout Scotland. Will he write to principals and advise them that they should ensure that, where at all possible, there are no compulsory redundancies?
I am happy to agree with the member that compulsory redundancies should be avoided. As he will know, I have no power of direction. The decision to remove the ministerial power of direction was made by Allan Wilson when he was minister for this sector in 2005. Nonetheless, I have strongly encouraged colleges on every possible occasion—as, indeed, Angela Constance did when she was taking charge of colleges some time ago—to avoid compulsory redundancies. I believe strongly in that and I regret that I do not have the power to enforce it, but I agree with the member and will do everything I can to encourage colleges not to make compulsory redundancies.
Will the cabinet secretary confirm whether there is a timescale for the transformation fund that he announced? When will that money be spent, as directed by the Scottish funding council?
It will be spent in the financial year 2012-13. I will write to colleges shortly on the process by which decisions on the fund will be reached. I will ensure that the member knows about that.
Universities (Drop-out Rates)
Figures released by the Higher Education Statistics Agency in March this year showed that the student drop-out rate at Scottish universities had fallen to its lowest level in seven years. The figure for 2008-09, the latest year for which figures are available, represents the third consecutive annual reduction. We are therefore making progress, but I agree that we need to do more. That is why, through the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council, we are investing nearly £5.5 million a year to support improved performance in retention at eight regionally based universities in Scotland.
The cabinet secretary may be aware that the student association of the University of the West of Scotland has called for research to be conducted into the causes of the high drop-out rates. Would the Scottish Executive support that initiative at universities such as the UWS and elsewhere?
There is substantial research on this matter, but if new research was required, I am quite sure that the funding council and other agencies would look at that sympathetically. I agree with the member, as I suspect all members in the chamber do, that increasing retention is an aim that we must work towards. Some progress is being made, but my mind is entirely open to finding out more about the subject and ensuring that we do better.
Will the cabinet secretary commit to looking at the issue of drop-out rates, which John Scott raised, in the consultation on the primary legislation on widening access in the spring?
That is a good idea and I am happy to do what the member suggests. If she wishes to make representations on that and encourage other representations, that would be entirely appropriate.
Modern Apprenticeship Programmes (Drop-out Rates)
In 2009-10, the latest financial year for which this information is available, the three modern apprenticeship frameworks with the highest drop-out rates in the first year were accounting, providing financial services and retail.
I understand that one of the main issues for people dropping out in their first year is the level of pay, particularly in the non-traditional apprenticeship areas. In England, there is the protection of a guaranteed minimum of £95 a week. Would the Scottish Government be prepared to look at that, given that the time that is invested by individuals, the money that is invested by employers and—more important— the money that is invested by the Scottish Government in the apprenticeship places go to waste when people drop out?
It is important that, once we get our young people into modern apprenticeships, we do our best to keep them in their apprenticeship. I hope that the member will be encouraged by the overall achievement rate of the modern apprenticeship programme in Scotland, which is 71 per cent, having risen from 52 per cent in 2001-02. Notwithstanding that, there has been important follow-up work from the making training work better consultation. Skills Development Scotland has been asked to look at particular sectors where drop-out rates are higher. We will of course look at a range of ideas with regard to that.
Language Learning (1+2 Model)
The Scottish Government has established a languages working group to provide strategic advice and direction on the delivery of our commitment to increase the opportunities for young people to benefit from learning two additional languages. Although that is a commitment over two sessions of Parliament, we want to see progress made as early as possible. Therefore, we have asked the group to consider what objectives and actions need to be set in the short, medium and longer term to deliver the commitment.
In my constituency, Kirkliston primary starts teaching French at primary 5, while pupils at Hillwood and Fox Covert primary schools learn basic Italian as early as primary 3. How will the new structure ensure that schools teach languages as early as possible?
I certainly welcome the approach that is being taken in the member’s constituency and I know that, across the country, more and more schools are introducing languages from an earlier age; indeed, some nurseries are introducing children to languages through song and play. As is well known, children often find it easier and more productive to learn languages at a younger age. For all those reasons, I have asked our languages working group to consider the benefits of providing children with access to languages from as early an age as possible and to look at how we might encourage local authorities to do that. As I said, I expect to receive the group’s report in April, and I will certainly bear the member’s comments in mind.
I am sure that the minister will share my concern and that of the various consulates in this country at the decline in the number of foreign language assistants, which in the past five years has decreased from just under 300 to less than 60. One reason for that is that such posts are the victims of cuts at local government level. What practical action can the minister take to reverse that decline and increase the number of foreign language assistants?
I share at least one of the member’s views, which is that modern language assistants play a valuable role in our schools. In addition, they are excellent value for money, as the cost of each assistant comes in at less than £8,000 a year.
Further Education Colleges (Compulsory Redundancies)
I welcome Angela Constance and Aileen Campbell to their new roles. I offer my apologies, as I should have done that at the outset.
A number of colleges have been unable to give a guarantee on no compulsory redundancies, given the scale of the cuts that they face. Nearly 900 jobs were lost last year, of which 50 were compulsory redundancies. How many redundancies, compulsory or otherwise, does the cabinet secretary anticipate that colleges will have to make to cover the budget reductions?
I anticipate that, in the process of reform and merger, colleges will take decisions about how to intensify the work that they are doing to focus on the young people whom they serve. I repeat—I put on record yet again—that I do not wish to see compulsory redundancies, although I have no power to stop them in this part of the sector, because colleges are independent bodies. Their status as such was reinforced by Labour when it was in government. I will do everything that I can to persuade colleges that compulsory redundancies are not the way to go.
Inverness College (Beechwood Campus)
Given that the member has had a long-term commitment to the Beechwood campus, on which I have worked with him, I know that he will be pleased to hear that substantial progress has been made. On 2 December, I announced that Inverness College could enter procurement for its proposed estates development at Beechwood, which will be funded to the tune of up to £51 million by the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council.
Does the cabinet secretary share my view that the new Beechwood campus is a vote of confidence in the students and the staff of Inverness College, and that it opens up huge opportunities for a wider range and mix of teaching? Does he agree that, through Highlands and Islands Enterprise and local councils working together, it will provide economic and social benefits across the Highlands and Moray?
Absolutely. The Beechwood campus is a positive development and I am glad that the work that we undertook across the parties, which included Mr Stewart, allowed it to come to fruition. Of course, the campus will have more than a college on it. It is a good example of how we can integrate various types of learning, and it will have a huge impact on the north of Scotland and the Highlands and Islands, as does the University of the Highlands and Islands, of which Inverness College is a part. I have huge confidence in that fascinating model.
Pupil-owned Technology
Local authorities are responsible for setting their own policies on the use of information and communications technology in education, including the potential use of pupil-owned devices. However, as part of the ICT in education programme, the Scottish Government and Education Scotland will consider national guidance on sustainable solutions for the deployment of devices in schools, including advice on the potential use of pupil-owned devices.
The cabinet secretary will be aware of the pilot in an Aberdeen city school where the parents are being encouraged to buy their children tablet computers for school use. Although we recognise that such technology can enhance the delivery of education, especially in the area of outdoor education, does the cabinet secretary agree with me and the convener of Aberdeen City Council’s education, culture and sport committee, John West, that parents should not be put in a position of having to rent a device or have their children do without one if they cannot afford to purchase one?
Yes, I agree with that, generally. Although I am keen for schools to move in the direction of ensuring that there is the widest use of modern and flexible devices, I do not want anybody to be disadvantaged by that, so if it is done at all in schools, it needs to be done with sensitivity. However, there is a different approach, which is to make use of the wide variety of devices that exist in schools, and interesting work is being done on that worldwide. That is a positive dynamic, but I entirely agree with the member that it should be designed to help all young people and not just some.
Does the cabinet secretary believe that mobile phones should be present in the classroom?
I do not think that there is a blanket answer to that. There are circumstances in which smart phones, for example, can be used as learning devices, and access to those pupil-owned devices might be appropriate. Some interesting research has been done on the ways in which the use of mobile phones in schools can be treated not as a disadvantage, as it often is when lots of consulting of Facebook takes place, but as an advantage in terms of accessing learning. We should be open to that. However, we are at an early stage and we should be working with schools, young people and ICT experts to make it happen. Something that has worked well in the past few months is the drawing in of ICT enthusiasts to the consideration of the future of glow. The issue is related to that, because access in schools will touch again and again on the issue of smart phones and pupil-owned devices.
Schools (Foreign Language Teaching)
As I mentioned in response to Mr Keir’s question, the Scottish Government is working with a range of stakeholders including local authorities, Education Scotland, the Scottish centre for information on language teaching and research, which is Scotland’s national centre for languages, consuls general and cultural organisations to boost Scotland’s schools’ engagement with and performance in languages.
The minister will be aware of the British Council’s alarm that the number of foreign language assistants in Scotland’s schools has fallen by 80 per cent in just six years, and the consuls general of France, Germany, Spain, Italy and China have joined forces to stress the importance of those native-language-speaking assistants. Does he agree that urgent action is required to increase the number of foreign language assistants, who not only assist with the development of modern foreign languages in our schools but are fundamental to increasing our international cultural and economic links?
I very much welcome the involvement in this subject of the consuls in Scotland’s diplomatic quarter, whose advice is helpful. The picture is not universal to all languages in our schools—an increase has been experienced in Spanish. However, as I said to the German consul, the number of people who take exams in German has declined by about 10 per cent, which we would like to remedy. I look forward to the meeting with the consuls and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities to find a way through the situation.
Further Education (Rural Areas)
We expect colleges, like all other parts of Scottish education, to deliver learning and teaching to a very high standard. Independent reviews by Her Majesty’s inspectors show that that is being achieved throughout Scotland. I look forward to that continuing to be the case as we reform the sector to put an even greater emphasis on learner outcomes.
I thank the cabinet secretary for his reassurance. If Argyll College is merged with other colleges, what further reassurance can he give that local education services and local links with the community and businesses will be maintained and improved?
Argyll College is close to my heart, as it serves my constituency—I am also pleased to be Mr MacKenzie’s constituency MSP. Argyll College has a particular model of operation that is distributed across Argyll—it delivers teaching in something like 20 centres. It is also a member of the University of the Highlands and Islands, which is a federation of 13 colleges.
The cabinet secretary recently created a £15 million fund for college mergers. Have rural mergers been factored into that sum? How will that money be distributed?
As I said to Elizabeth Smith, the fund is a transformation fund. I will write to colleges with the full details in the next few days. The transformation fund is not a mergers fund or a small colleges closure fund, as a Labour spokeswoman said earlier this week. It will make a positive contribution to the transformation and reform agenda. I am open to what colleges see as an appropriate use of the resources.
Supply Teachers
All matters that relate to teacher supply and demand will be considered as part of our annual teacher workforce planning exercise. No later than early in the new year, I will issue guidance to the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council about the number of student teachers that is to be recruited next autumn.
Is the supply teaching situation not in rather a mess? That has occurred since the reduction in pay to point 1. Headteachers have reported serious difficulties in Stirling, Perth and Kinross, Dundee, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Falkirk and North Lanarkshire. My colleague Neil Findlay was told that, of 324 requests for supply teachers in West Lothian, 299 were left unfilled. In other words, only 8 per cent of requests for short-term supply teachers were met. What does the cabinet secretary now propose to prevent any additional problems for our hard-pressed and dedicated teachers?
Dr Simpson, like most of his colleagues, always likes to make a crisis out of a problem. The reality of the situation in supply teaching is that the difficult decision on resourcing Scottish education that had to be made as a result of cuts from Westminster required an agreement in the tripartite setting of the unions, the Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities on how we should take the matter forward. There was an agreement in that tripartite group—it was therefore endorsed by all parties, including the unions—that there would be a change to the supply pay structure. That was regrettable, but there was little alternative.
University Fees (Non-domestic Students)
The average fee that a student from the rest of the United Kingdom will be expected to pay to attend a university in Scotland in 2012-13 will be £6,841 a year, before any fee waivers, bursaries or other forms of student support are taken into account.
I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. I am sure that students in Dundee and across Scotland will be delighted that the predictions of some members on Labour’s front bench have proved to be unfounded, and that our SNP Government has kept access to higher education based on the ability to learn rather than on the ability to pay.
I have been absolutely determined to honour the necessary commitment that education should be free in Scotland to those who are domiciled here—that relates to between 83 and 84 per cent of Scottish students. That is, regrettably, all that I can do, because we are simply not resourced to deal with the wider issue of the other 16 to 17 per cent. I have said that I regret that, but that is where we are. I am pleased that, in the end, the Labour Party supported the regulation that was required to achieve that end.
In the light of the recent decision by the Office for Fair Access to approve the reduction of student fees in 11 English institutions, does the cabinet secretary still believe that £9,000 fees are the answer for Scotland?
I have never believed that £9,000 fees were the answer for Scotland, so the question is based on an entirely false premise. Of course, if one follows the route of marketising higher education that is being followed by the Tories on the back of a report by Lord Browne that was commissioned by the Labour Government, one will get these difficulties. There is only one party in this chamber that has never voted for student fees, as I am sure Labour members will acknowledge. It would be far better if we were not affected by that flawed policy. How do we achieve that? The answer is independence.
Does the cabinet secretary agree that it is bizarre that certain Opposition spokespeople call for him to take a hands-on approach to further and higher education in relation to fees and redundancies, for example, while calling for him to take a hands-off approach to sector reform? Does he agree that consistency of approach from Opposition parties, albeit unlikely, would be welcome?
I compliment Mr McDonald on what I think is admirable optimism; I was almost going to call it naivety. The older I get, the more I realise that consistency is not something that we will ever have from the Labour Party.
Question 13 was not lodged.
Further Education Colleges (Partnership)
Significant progress is already being made, and we expect more to follow. Co-operation and partnerships—and, indeed, mergers—are all options in our broad plans to bring better cohesion to the college sector and to deliver better value for money through the elimination of duplication and waste.
What additional measures could be considered to make college boards more accountable and democratic?
I am pleased to say that Ferdinand von Prondzynski, the principal of Robert Gordon University, will be reporting shortly on the issue of governance. As members will know, I set up two governance reviews: one for the college sector and one for the higher education sector. Russel Griggs will report on behalf of his college education group, and Professor von Prondzynski will report on behalf of the higher education group. I anticipate publishing the reports in the new year, and I hope that the recommendations will be considered as we move into the legislative process.
University Places (Access)
In the context of the post-16 reform programme, the Scottish Government has already announced its intention to legislate to set achievable but ambitious goals for access to higher education for the poorest students.
Does the cabinet secretary agree that one of the most effective tools that we have for ensuring access to university for young Scots is to keep access to higher education based on the ability to learn and not the ability to pay?
Unsurprisingly, I agree 100 per cent with that. I add a caveat, however. We are not yet sure of the difficulties that there will be with applications, because the figures are provisional. However, if there are any difficulties at all, they will be the result of the negativity around the subject that has been created in the debate.
Individual Learning Accounts
In 2010-11, 60,512 people used an individual learning account to support learning.
Does the minister agree that ILAs are a key element in ensuring that people can access training and qualifications? The difference between the £200 funding that is given and the cost of the courses—most cost between £600 and £1,000—could discourage people either from applying or from finishing their course. Does he agree that cuts to college funding may force colleges to increase the cost of courses or, in some cases, scrap them?
I certainly agree that individual learning accounts have proved immensely useful for a great number of people. Indeed, there have been 470 providers and 20,000 learner opportunities. However, I disagree with the assertion that we are doing harm rather than good. The Scottish Government is helping people to access learning through that mechanism.
Ayrshire Colleges (Post-16 Education)
Colleges in Ayrshire, like others across the country, are having constructive discussions about our post-16 reform proposals. Last night, I spoke to Heather Dunk, the principal of Kilmarnock College.
Does the cabinet secretary agree that merger on an all-Ayrshire basis is the way to go, not least because we have remarkable consensus between Ayr and Kilmarnock on this occasion? What support would the Scottish Government provide to expedite the merger process?
The transformation fund, which was announced yesterday, is available to colleges in any part of the country so that they can proceed with their proposals, whether for merger or federation or to create new opportunities to take forward the agenda in their area. I know that the colleges in Ayrshire are having good discussions, although there are difficulties in relation to Kilwinning. It is best that the colleges discuss that, and that discussion is taking place. I hope that the colleges will find a way to ensure that they have the best proposals for them. I stress that nothing is set in stone and that it is extremely important that the colleges find the proposals that suit the learners of Ayrshire. That is what will make the difference.
Colleges (Budget Settlements)
I do not think that there have ever been so many questions about colleges. By and large, they have been positive questions, particularly those from positive members such as Mr Dornan.
I thank the cabinet secretary for his kind comments.
I will not comment on that final point, but I will be delighted to meet Mr Dornan and the federation. I have met a number of Glasgow’s college principals and have had extensive discussions with principals and chairs from throughout Scotland, but I am always open to further discussion to ensure that we collaborate in making progress with the extremely important reform process. I am heartened by the support and encouragement that I am getting from college principals, who know how important it is to make the changes.
Skills Development Scotland (Meetings)
Ministers met with the chair of Skills Development Scotland on 28 September 2011, and I met the chair informally last night at the modern apprenticeship awards in Glasgow.
Skills Development Scotland is one of several organisations in the strategic forum, which has to make savings of £85 million during the current spending review period. Roughly what percentage of those £85 million savings will come from Skills Development Scotland?
The draft budget for Skills Development Scotland for 2012-13 is £176.4 million, which is a reduction in year 1 of 2.7 per cent.
Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning (Meetings)
I last met formally with NUS Scotland on Wednesday 3 August 2011. I have since had informal meetings with elected officers and officials on several occasions—as usual, those were constructive discussions on a wide range of issues that affect students in Scotland. I met the NUS Scotland president, Robin Parker, at the University of Abertay Dundee on Tuesday night, at a meeting at which Ms Marra was also present.
The cabinet secretary will be aware of the NUS campaign our future, our fight. Does he accept that senior management, student leaders, students and the workforce in Scotland’s colleges are speaking with one voice and telling him that his approach to the future of colleges is wrong? Will he show some uncharacteristic humility and at least acknowledge that?
I will ignore the jibe, as ever. [Interruption.] Well, it is wise to ignore it. To draw attention to Mr Findlay’s unfortunate method of asking a question would not help him.