Big Ideas from Scotland

Friday, April 13th, 2007

Scotland on Sunday, a reputable paper, put together a think tank to come up with a list of things that need doing. Scotland has parliamentary elcetions for the seats at Hollyrood in early May so some of the points do have a political overtone but I have pulled a few to see if you agree they might work where you live.

Start a green revolution

Much already is being done in this sector, but more ambitious targets should be set. A massive overhaul of the way government is run is required in order to make Scotland the first carbon-neutral country in the world. Every public sector organisation should have its carbon footprint measured and be ordered to set tough targets for reduction – insisting its suppliers follow suit.

Invest in early years

The Work Foundation recently produced convincing evidence that the early years of life mould our entire life experience. Exposure to family turbulence, or to drugs, alcohol and a poor diet up to the age of five has an undeniable effect on a child’s prospects.

Ban pupils from leaving school at lunchtime

Ever wondered why it is that dozens of schoolchildren can be found queuing outside the chip shop every school lunchtime? So have we. In England, pupils are barred from leaving school premises during lunch. Teachers and catering staff are instructed to look after them. The same should happen in Scotland, where pupils should be made to stay in school and given nutritious and healthy meals at lunchtime. Teachers should lay on a full range of sporting activities in the playground and a range of clubs indoors. This will be met with resistance by teaching unions who will object to the extra work, but for the good of the health and wellbeing of the nation they should not become a barrier to a revolution in our schools.

Teach all prisoners to read and write

In 2000, 60% of Scotland’s prison population were found to be illiterate and innumerate. Currently, prisoners are offered plenty of anger-management training courses and cognitive skills programmes, but unless they are able to read and write they are doomed to return to the black economy. Ministers should ditch the programmes that have no proven worth and get back to teaching prisoners the basics, so that when they get out of jail they have the skills to enable them to get a job.

Offer children a citizenship qualification

Business leaders now regularly complain that school-leavers are not ready for the world of work. While a focus on numeracy and literacy must continue, there should also be greater focus on the ‘soft skills’ which too many 16 to 19-year-olds are simply lacking.
For example, half of businesses in a CBI survey recently said they were unimpressed by school-leavers’ ‘self-management’ skills. In other words, schools are producing too many feckless youngsters.
One way to change that would be to link ‘citizenship’ into the qualifications system so that volunteer work and community service is counted as part of students’ coursework. Making such a qualification meaningful is one way of incentivising distracted teenagers to get involved. The good work of Project Scotland should be drawn upon, and no child should be allowed to leave school without passing a citizenship qualification.