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"...her campaigning against education cuts is good news for parents!" - Rachael Ewing, Seedhill
"...her campaigning against education cuts is good news for parents!" - Rachael Ewing, Seedhill
Thank you for your support!
In the last week or two of starting the campaign to let parents and teachers know Renfrewshire Council’s plans, over 1700 people have logged online to show their concerns.
Additionally, although on very short notice, some parents also managed along to the demo outside the Council Buildings last Thursday lunchtime.
Both Hugh Henry MSP and myself spoke in the Education debate in the Scottish Parliament last Thursday before the crucial vote – urging the Education Minister, Mike Russell, to ‘lift the phone’ to Renfrewshire and tell them to put this idea on hold.
Out with the Old
January is a time for out with the old and in with the new!
So I recommend Project OsKar to Buddies. It is a new furniture recycling initiative designed to reduce the amount of waste going to landfills in Renfrewshire. It’s being run by Kibble from Clark St in partnership with Renfrewshire Council to offer training and employment skills to unemployed young people.
Project OsKar’s mission is “If it’s got a re-use, I’ll find it a hoose!” They are looking for both donators of furniture and customers for quality used household goods. Further information can be found at http://www.projektoskar.org or call 0141 842 8020.
Winter Watch
Scottish Labour’s NHS Winter Watch campaign is holding the Scottish Government to account for the impact of their cuts to the health service over the last three years. These cuts in essential staff and bed numbers, whilst the number of administrators kept growing, mean there is a real threat of a winter crisis for the NHS. So if you are unfortunate enough to have a bad experience with the health service this winter make sure your voice is heard so others do not suffer in the same way. Read more »
A special plea…
Some of you will recall from my December mailing plans to axe 60 primary teachers and replace them with part-time sessional workers. This means all Renfrewshire primary pupils will be “taught” by non-teachers from August for 10% of their school week. Wrongly, when such a controversial measure is contemplated, council bosses want to force this decision through the Education Board on Thursday. Many parents, teachers and others are concerned about any move away from professional teaching to “schooling on the cheap”. Not least because no other Council is following Renfrewshire down this path. Unless there is a delay on Thursday, these non-teachers will start moving into local schools from April.
Please add your name to those who are calling for a halt to these plans – sign up here now! Read more »
As published in the Herald, 12th January 2011
A Scottish council is seeking to balance its books by replacing qualified primary teachers by non-teaching staff for two-and-a-half hours every week.
Renfrewshire Council, which is run by a coalition of Liberal Democrats and the SNP, is seeking to portray this proposal in the best possible light. Lorraine Cameron, the education convenor, suggests the change is designed to enrich pupils’ education and broaden their horizons, in the context of the new Curriculum for Excellence. The non-teaching staff would cover topics such as health awareness and physical fitness.
Teaching unions are right to smell a rat. As the council freely admits, the need to redesign the curriculum in this way is driven principally by financial pressures. The council’s objective appears to be simply to save money, but it argues pupils would benefit. Read more »
Local MSP Wendy Alexander will raise Renfrewshire’s plans in the Scottish Parliament later this week. She has laid the following motion in parliament making the case against Renfrewshire’s plans to deskill teachers and is inviting MSP’s from across Scotland to speak out against Renfrewshire’s plans.
She has also secured speaking time on this issue in parliament on Thursday where she will press Scottish government ministers to step in and halt these plans which she believes will damage children’s education.
She is also probing the legality of Renfrewshire’s plans and supporting an information campaign to parents so they know what is planned. Read more »
Renfrewshire council has finally published the paper for the education board on Thursday demonstrating its plans for axing 60 experienced primary teachers replacing them with part-time sessional staff without teaching qualifications.
Wendy said “This board paper confirms parent’s worst fears. 10% of primary teaching time is to be handed over to “schooling on the cheap.”
The SNP and local education bosses (beneficiaries of a 23% pay rise in last 2 years) want local kids “schooled on the cheap.”
Qualified teachers to be replaced by part time “sessional” workers earning just £14 an hour – less than half the rate for a qualified teacher. Read more »
Wendy Alexander MSP issued a message today to pay tribute to the dedication of frontline workers over the busy festive season.
Ms Alexander said:
“I would like to pay a special tribute to the unsung heroes who have been running essential services for the public over the holidays. The bad weather has been ongoing for weeks but they just keep going.
“These are the people in our NHS, our fire and ambulance services and our police forces have been working throughout the festive period.
“Council staff and transports workers also deserve a special mention for their efforts to keep Renfrewshire moving despite extreme weather conditions.”
As published in The Scotsman, 29th December 2010
The Scotland Bill, implementing the Calman Commission recommendations, is before the Scottish Parliament. It will be the biggest transfer of financial power from London since the creation of the United Kingdom.
These are big changes to how Scotland is governed, and how Scottish politicians are accountable to voters. The Scottish Parliament supports the general principles of the bill, but the individual clauses deal with many important issues. So it’s vital the committee set up to scrutinise the proposed legislation is thorough and effective.
What the committee has to do is look at the evidence and see what’s best for devolved Scotland. We have already got off to an excellent start, questioning UK and Scottish Government ministers on the big picture. Each of them will be providing us with more analysis, especially on the critical tax and finance provisions. Read more »
I am sure the last thing you want on 27th December is politics so let me try and do better! Do you have gifts that fail to make the grade? Well read on in the hope I can help.
I have prepared a list of “Twelve Rights of Christmas” which outline the basic rights we are entitled to as consumers. Here they are…
1) The right to a refund when returning goods bought “at a distance” within 7 days of receiving them.
2) The right to a refund where goods bought online do not match their description.
3) The right to protection against the risk of goods being lost or damaged during delivery.
4) The right to switch energy supplier, provided 28 days notice is given. Read more »
Paisley North MSP Wendy Alexander has turned her hand to cooking in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care this festive season.
The local Labour MSP submitted one of 60 recipes for the charity cookbook “MSPs’ Gut Feelings” which is being sold again this holiday season for £10 and aims to raise £20,000 for the worthy cause. The cookbook has raised over £17,000 for the charity so far.
Politicians from all parties were asked last year to submit their favourite recipes to the book. Wendy submitted a recipe for a savoury cheese cake starter served with parmesan crisps, which she claims goes down well with dinner guests! Read more »
