Tories attack 'woefully inadequate' plans for online learning in Scotland

Leader Douglas Ross called for an urgent improvement in remote education guidance by sign-posting parents to appropriate resources.

And he demanded a guarantee that all promised devices will be distributed to pupils who need them this week, claiming up to 38,000 devices had not yet been handed out.

The Scottish Tories also said any children unable to learn at home should be treated as vulnerable and allowed to go into school, while requesting funding of remote education be doubled to £50 million if schools are closed beyond February 1.

Douglas Ross says parents are unsure what to expect

Mr Ross said: “All the feedback we have from parents and teachers suggests that schools are scrambling at the last minute to make up for the SNP’s woeful lack of proper planning to deliver online learning.

“Guidance has been vague, leaving parents unsure of what to expect from schools while children are at home.

“The Scottish Conservative proposals would see devices distributed immediately to those children who need them, as well as doubling the support available for remote education if schools are to be closed beyond February 1.

“We believe there should be a guarantee that pupils who are unable to learn at home can be considered as vulnerable and are able to learn in schools instead.

“The attainment gap between pupils from richer and poorer backgrounds will expand rapidly if the SNP don’t quickly fix the serious issues that they’ve failed to resolve.”

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