THE debacle that is Edinburgh PPP/PFI schools is a terrible tragedy for the children, parents and teachers (“Council to pay back schools in PPP fiasco”, The Herald, April 14).
The political classes are now in full blame mode, when the time to argue about the idiotically expensive schemes was 20 years ago. As usual it’s look back in anger and nothing to do with me or my party. 'Twas as always a big boy up the road and he ran away.
But what worries me, as always, in the clamour for the councils to regain control of schools, is their sad history in running schools. I attended Eastwood High School the year it opened in 1964 and a fine school it was. Within 40 years it was pulled down due to woefully inadequate maintenance, which has plagued most council building projects since the war. Does any householder buy or build a property that is gone in 40 years? The secret is ongoing maintenance and upgrades. In short, the councils are not to be trusted with building high quality well maintained building projects.
What is the most successful state school in Scotland? Jordanhill College School, run by a separate trust which is only interested in the education and welfare of the children.
Surely we need to take stock of this history. Instead of scoring political points the parties could come together and figure out a better way forward for the sake of our children and the taxpayers’ pockets. Fat chance, sadly.
Ian McNair,
47A James Street,
Cellardyke.
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