Media Release

The Children and Young People’s Commissioner, Nicola Killean has criticised the Scottish Government for dropping its focus on genuine education reform, warning that it puts children’s rights at risk.

Responding to the Programme for Government today, Ms Killean welcomed the prioritisation of measures to address child poverty, however she cautioned the Scottish Government that by not tackling systemic issues within education, it undermines its efforts to tackle child poverty.

Commissioner Nicola Killean said: “If the Scottish Government is committed to putting people’s priorities at the heart of government, this must include children’s priorities. It has a legal duty to respect, protect and fulfil children’s rights.

“Children across the country  have told the Scottish Government time and time again that their experience of education is falling short.

“Children and young people have consistently said they desperately need real improvements, including changes to exams and assessments, access to more support when they need it and to be involved in key decisions about their education. Their views have been loudly ignored.

“The First Minister has ambition to transform and grow the skills economy but the staggering lack of commitment to addressing children’s unmet needs in education will stop this succeeding.”

The Commissioner acknowledged that the Programme for Government comes against the backdrop of a challenging economy but urged the Scottish Government to meet its legal obligations to respect, protect and fulfil children’s rights.

Children will feel the full force of significant cuts already announced to much needed support, including to mental health services, access to devices to tackle digital exclusion and planned investment in measures to address climate change.

Commissioner Nicola Killean, said: “It has only a been matter of weeks since the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child was incorporated into Scots law. Within the Convention is a clear obligation on the State to provide all children with an education that develops them to their fullest potential; mind, body, personality, and talents. This should be the fundamental purpose of our education system.

“Instead, too many children and young people’s needs are not being met in our current system and this particularly impacts disabled children, children with additional support needs, Black and minority ethnic children, and care experienced children who are being routinely failed.”

The Commissioner added: “The Scottish Government has a legal duty to ensure that children and young people can enjoy all their rights, and truly reforming education alongside them must be one of their key priorities. Children do not have the economic or political power that adults have, but that should not influence policy choices. The UN Convention recognises that childhood is a time of special care and assistance, and children should feel that at home, in their communities and in places of power.

“Economics cannot be a barrier to prioritising children, Scotland cannot afford to ignore or sidestep children’s rights obligations.”

ENDS.