Scottish Government says creation of shared services is urgently needed

Local authorities in Scotland need to implement greater sharing of services “urgently”, the Scottish Education Secretary has said.

According to The Herald, Michael Russell told the SNP’s conference in Perth: “We’ve got 32 education authorities, 32 directors of education, 32 delivery bodies for an education system in a country with five million people.

“We need more collaboration, more co-operation, more sharing of resources and services and we need it urgently. Just doing what has always been done will not do any longer.”

Russell said he had been actively encouraging authorities to change. “SNP-controlled East Lothian is already working with Labour-controlled Midlothian to set up a joint education and social work authority,” he added. “I am on the side of that type of change and will encourage it elsewhere.”

The minister also revealed that a new Scottish Education Quality and Improvement Agency would be set up. This will bring together His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) and Learning and Teaching Scotland.

The Education Secretary said: “We have strong national bodies, delivering the support and resources that teachers and pupils need. I want those bodies to be even better.

“Scotland’s education inspectors – HMIE – are one of the great strengths of our education system. While Learning and Teaching Scotland provide important support, practical materials and guidance to schools. They are two sides of the same coin: one supporting improvement, the other inspecting standards. The introduction of the new curriculum makes now the right time to bring these two halves together.”

He added: “The new agency will be charged with leading the drive to complete the implementation of the new curriculum, improving our school education and encouraging innovation in our classrooms. It will do this with less bureaucracy, less red tape and with more resources freed to go to the frontline.”