Commitment to the right to free education.
Independence would allow Scotland to further improve its
education system, including a proposal to enshrine the
government’s policy on free tuition in Scotland’s permanent
constitution, according to a new paper published by the Cabinet
Secretary for Education and Skills .
‘Education and Lifelong Learning in an Independent Scotland’, the
latest paper in the Building a New Scotland series, sets out the
Scottish Government’s policy proposals for education following
independence.
Independence would allow future Scottish Governments to:
- propose that the government’s policy on free university
tuition becomes part of an independent Scotland’s permanent
constitution, subject to the deliberations of a future
Constitutional Convention
- use all the powers of an independent nation to fully tackle
child poverty, helping to ensure every child in Scotland has the
opportunity to reach their full potential
- incorporate - in full - the United Nations Convention on the
Rights of the Child into Scots law, further enhancing children’s
rights
- consider enhancements to the length and level of paid
maternity leave and extending the current statutory two week
leave and pay provision for partners as well as providing
additional weeks of shared parental leave taken at the end of the
52 week maternity period
- rejoin EU exchange programmes that benefit students such as
Erasmus+ as part of the EU and foster good global connections by
promoting international research exchange
Ms Gilruth said:
“Our education system shows why making decisions in Scotland, for
Scotland, is better for people who live here. Since 1999 we
have been able to take choices to improve opportunities for our
young people – including abolishing tuition fees, expanding free
school meals and investing in transformational early learning and
childcare.
“But the outcomes for our children and young people continue to
be harmed by decisions taken by the UK Government – particularly
in terms of social security cuts, which are impacting children
and families the most. Independence puts the full powers to
tackle child poverty in Scotland’s hands, and would allow us to
build on our existing policies. Modelling published last
month estimates that Scottish Government policies will keep
100,000 children out of relative poverty in 2024-25.
“As we have already set out, we would enshrine economic, social
and cultural rights – including the right to education - in the
interim constitution, effective from day one of independence. The
Scottish Government would propose that our policy on free
university tuition is enshrined in the permanent constitution of
an independent Scotland, subject to the deliberations of the
Constitutional Convention.
“Independence would put significant economic and legislative
levers in Scotland’s hands and give future Scottish Governments a
range of opportunities to do things differently on a range of key
issues, like children’s rights, tackling child poverty, reserved
childcare support schemes and parental leave.
“This paper sets out just some of the opportunities open to
future independent Scottish Governments to build a successful and
thriving Scotland. It shows the potential that can be unlocked
for our children, young people and families – the best start in
life in a fair and prosperous independent nation.”
Background
Building a New Scotland:
Education and lifelong learning in an independent Scotland
