CONTROVERSIAL proposals to switch to a four-and-a-half day school week are now officially off the table after councillors listened to public concerns.
The consultation process – which generated a record number of responses – could have been done so much better, according to Lochar Councillor Tracey Little.
She claimed that the consultation was “a waste of time and resources”.
Education chiefs were inundated with opinions from parents, staff, trade unions, and the wider community on the proposals for a condensed learning week and school closing early on Fridays.
There were 15,409 responses to the consultation as the council sought public opinion before any decision was made, but thousands of people said that a switch to a four-and-a-half-day week would cause chaos due to childcare arrangements and transport issues.
Councillor Little argued that elected members were already aware of this and had raised these issues before the consultation was launched.
She said: “This is about the education and welfare of our children – and I think we’re failing them.
“I’m so angry about this because all the concerns that members raised time and time again were dismissed, and this is exactly what the public have come back with. They have exactly the same concerns.
“It’s been a waste of time, waste of money, waste of resources – and it could have been done so much better.
“But no one was listening to the members. No one was listening to the questions that we were getting from our constituents, and they were not being taken seriously.”
Gillian Brydson, the council’s education director, responded: “We all recognise that there have been questions throughout this, and we have worked to answer the questions where we could without predisposing to any particular outcomes.
“I recognise we could have done more. We’ve done this (consultation) within our existing resources, and we have done this within our existing staff.”
Annandale South Councillor Richard Brodie, the former chairman of the council’s education committee, said: “The people have spoken, and they’ve spoken in large numbers, from the youngest of children to the oldest of grandparents.
“Some were for it, some were against it. Obviously we will be directed by the people.”
Annandale North Councillor Carolyne Wilson, who is also a school parent council member, said that she believed many people believed the four-and-a-half day week was “very much a done deal”.
She continued: “Having asked previously what the benefits were for moving to a four-and-a-half day week, and where the evidence is, I’m still unclear.
“A number of times questions in this committee have not been answered, including questions on transport, wrap-around childcare, and activities, should it have went ahead.
“And I don’t think we should underestimate the unnecessary stress this has caused parents and indeed some of our young people.”
Meanwhile, youth council representative Stewart Walker told councillors that there were “misconceptions” flying around regarding the proposals, which complicate the matter.
Councillors agreed to maintain the current school timetable arrangements, and for an evaluation report to be brought back to the education committee in early 2025.
