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28/03/2014

Commenting on Ministerial Visit to New Harris Academy Building Site Thursday 27 March 2014

Alasdair Allan MSP visiting Harris Academy for a photo opportunity
I am disappointed to learn that Alasdair Allan the Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland's Languages only scheduled hinself for a half hour visit to a Dundee secondary school yesterday. Clearly he was not likely to meet many pupils and teachers going to visit the building site of the new Harris Academy for what appeared to be little more than a photo opportunity. 

Far from patting himself on the back for eventually allocating funding towards the much delayed rebuilding of Harris Academy, I think he should have been taking more time in Dundee to meet teachers from our Secondary Schools and parents and carers whose children in S4 classes are soon to sit their examinations. I think they would want to know how he and his government is responding to the mounting concerns about the flawed introduction of the new National 4 and 5 examinations. 

In addition, many parents and carers remain opposed to the extension of the Broad General Education to S3 and through this leaving only one year for preparation for the new examinations. This narrows the curriculum in S4 by limiting pupils' choices to six subjects.

Dundee expects more than this from a Government Education Minister.