Greens publish Union Terrace Gardens Statement
Call for more investment in Aberdeenshire Schools
New figures have shown almost 20 per cent of the temporary classrooms in Scottish schools are in Aberdeenshire - prompting calls for Aberdeenshire Council and the Scottish Government to make investment in schools a higher priority.
Aberdeenshire councillor Martin Ford, a member of the
Council's Education, Learning & Leisure Committee, said: "It is no
great surprise that the number of temporary classrooms is highest in
Aberdeenshire. A sustained increase in the population over more than
three decades has put pressure on schools from rising rolls all around
Aberdeen.
"Families with school-age children have been moving out from Aberdeen to new housing in places like Newmachar, Blackburn and Kintore.
"Use of relocatable classrooms is appropriate where a short-term, temporary, rise in the school roll means additional accommodation is needed for a few years. But there are many places where relocatables are being used because the school is now, on an on-going basis, too small.
"Investment in schools has not kept up with the need to modernise and replace ageing buildings, and to provide more capacity. Given the scale of the problem, both Aberdeenshire Council and the Scottish Government will need to increase funding for new school buildings. This must be a priority for both the Council and the Scottish Government."
Cllr Ford is one of the three councillors for the East Garioch ward. The four schools in the East Garioch ward are Newmachar (old buildings extended five times), Hatton of Fintray (poor buildings), Kinellar (old buildings and too small) and Kintore (too small). All four schools have relocatable units to increase capacity.
Said Cllr Ford, "Of course, the pressure on the public finances means Aberdeenshire Council will need to choose what its priorities are; it can't do everything. Schools must come before the Western Peripheral Route, for example. Education is more important."
ENDS
"Families with school-age children have been moving out from Aberdeen to new housing in places like Newmachar, Blackburn and Kintore.
"Use of relocatable classrooms is appropriate where a short-term, temporary, rise in the school roll means additional accommodation is needed for a few years. But there are many places where relocatables are being used because the school is now, on an on-going basis, too small.
"Investment in schools has not kept up with the need to modernise and replace ageing buildings, and to provide more capacity. Given the scale of the problem, both Aberdeenshire Council and the Scottish Government will need to increase funding for new school buildings. This must be a priority for both the Council and the Scottish Government."
Cllr Ford is one of the three councillors for the East Garioch ward. The four schools in the East Garioch ward are Newmachar (old buildings extended five times), Hatton of Fintray (poor buildings), Kinellar (old buildings and too small) and Kintore (too small). All four schools have relocatable units to increase capacity.
Said Cllr Ford, "Of course, the pressure on the public finances means Aberdeenshire Council will need to choose what its priorities are; it can't do everything. Schools must come before the Western Peripheral Route, for example. Education is more important."
ENDS
Notes:
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