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Views sought on new qualifications body and
inspectorate
People are being asked to share their views to create a new
national qualifications body and new approaches to inspection, as
part of reforms to Scotland’s education and skills system.
Legislation will be introduced to Parliament in 2024 to implement
the Scottish Government's commitment to replace the Scottish
Qualifications Authority (SQA) with a new organisation. Views are
now being sought on how this new body will involve
pupils and students and the teaching professions in its decision
making, as well as being accountable and transparent.
The public consultation on reform of the education and skills
sector is also seeking views on changes in relation to
inspection, which currently sits with Education Scotland - to
maximise the positive impacts of inspection and ensure high
levels of confidence in the system among teachers, other
professionals, parents and carers and the public.
It was announced during a wide ranging statement on Education and
Skills reform where Education Secretary also announced the
publication of the third report from the First Minister’s
International Council of Education Advisers, which sets out the
need for investment in education professionals to address the
changing needs of young people. The Education Secretary also gave
an update on planning for the proposed Centre for Teaching
Excellence.
Ms Gilruth said:
"The case for reform is clear and we need to deliver tangible
action, setting out the steps which are right for our education
system now.
“This consultation is an important opportunity for young people,
parents and carers and, crucially, teachers to make their voices
heard and is an important step in designing our national
education and skills landscape in its totality.
“The new qualifications body and approaches to inspection are the
foundations of delivering meaningful reform, meaning better
outcomes for young people and adult learners, ensuring that the
views and needs of pupils, teachers and others who rely on this
service are at the heart of what they do, and how they deliver
support.
“I am determined to continue to build the consensus for change.
We need the system to work better for children and young people
as well as the profession, ensuring it continues to support
everyone to positively contribute to our country.”
Background
Read the Education Secretary’s statement to the
Scottish Parliament.
The consultation runs
until 18 December 2023 and the proposed Education Bill will be
introduced later this Parliamentary year.
Read the First Minister’s International Council of Education
Adviser’s third report.
The Education Secretary will also chair a ministerial group on
Education and Skills reform to ensure there are new, robust
governance arrangements in place to support the delivery of
reform with the professional advice of teachers and practitioners
at the centre.
A report by Professor Kenneth
Muir on the replacement of the SQA and reform of Education
Scotland was published in March 2022. It recommended the
establishment of a revised national infrastructure to simplify
the education landscape and to ensure that all teachers and
practitioners have greater clarity on the roles and functions of
the national bodies.
The latest consultation is part of a wider programme of reform
Scotland’s education and skills sector and follows publication by
Professor Louise Hayward in October 2022 of a review of qualifications and
assessments in Scotland, as well as a review of the skills
delivery landscape by James Withers published in August 2022.
Ms Gilruth also set out that Mr Dey would provide a further
update to Parliament on plans for post school reform.
