Learning for life,

not just for work

Education can transform lives and communities, but current policy is too focussed on making young people 'job-ready', as though our economic lives are everything. Greens will put more emphasis on nurturing people's talents and encouraging creative, analytical thinking, investing in an education system that is accessible to all, celebrates diversity and nurtures talent.

Scotland's school curriculum is still too reliant on exam success as the only suitable measure of a child's future potential. Many of our children feel excluded, and others are simply bored, by a system which values memorising facts over aptitudes such as problem solving, team working and interpersonal social skills. We want to see a society which respects children and aims to give them the freedom to express themselves.

Education should not only be about teaching children how to pass exams, it should support young people to become well-rounded citizens. The Greens would require schools to put in place activities to help children learn how to resolve conflicts non-violently. Peace Initiatives encourage members of the community, particularly in schools, to recognise that encountering conflict is a normal part of human life and to support the resolution of conflict through positive, non-violent means. We would like to see initiatives like this across Scotland.

Greening education is not just about the curriculum, but also about where teaching takes place and how schools function. Outdoor education develops skills and qualities such as risk assessment, working with others, self-confidence, empathy with Scotland's countryside, co-ordination and practical skills. The reduction in opportunities to experience outdoor education is unacceptable.