PRIMARY pupils are to be given online lessons as part of controversial moves by a council to save money.

The plan by Highland Council would also see increasing use of web-based teaching for qualifications such as Highers and Advanced Highers in secondary school.

The initiative is included in wider proposals which could see headteachers across the region asked to run up to five schools at the same time from this summer.

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The council has acted amidst concerns of a recruitment crisis for both teachers and headteachers.

However, parents attacked the plans saying the quality of education and the future of their communities will be threatened.

The parent council from Eigg Primary School said the plans would have a “disastrous effect” on the island.

A spokesman said: “It will become increasingly difficult to recruit future teaching staff and therefore make it more likely that we will see islands forced into a situation of accepting ICT education.

“That would most certainly lead to families leaving the islands, and undermining everything the islands have strived towards in terms of making viable, sustainable island communities.

“Whilst ICT is used in the island communities, there are always access problems, which is very frustrating and would be detrimental to a child’s education.

“Parents do not want their children, particularly youngest age groups, to be dependent on computer learning and they want face to face teaching which provides the best educational outcome.”

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However, a spokeswoman for Highland Council said officials had committed to maximising the use of information technology to improve learning and teaching for all pupils.

She said: “This will mean a range of new initiatives and approaches, including the use of devices by all pupils from P6.

“There will be an increasing range of online courses available to pupils, particularly for students in the senior phase and undertaking Advanced Highers, but also for others, for example ensuring equity in the curriculum for pupils in rural schools.”

Councillors will be asked to approve the plans at a meeting this week with the controversial cluster model of school leadership introduced in August.

Highland Council believes the new model will help solve chronic recruitment problems, enable headteachers to spend less time teaching and potentially save small, rural schools from closure.

It is estimated the changes could save the council £750,000 in the first year, although it is expected they will have to pay headteachers higher salaries if their responsibilities increase.

Drew Millar, a councillor from Skye, said fresh thinking was required as budgets were squeezed.

He said: “It’s the way forward. In some ways it is protecting small rural schools for the future.

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“Some parents may think this is not right, but let’s try it and if in a year’s time it’s not working, we can review it.”