Scalloway deserves an explanation

SHETLAND MSP Tavish Scott has called for education minister Mike Russell to give an explanation for the government’s decision to approve the closure of Scalloway junior high school.

On Friday the government gave “unconditional consent” to the council’s decision in December to close the 120 pupil school as part of its Blueprint for Education.

On Monday Mr Scott said: “I feel desperately sorry for pupils, parents, teachers and the people of the village who all made an entirely reasonable and well argued case to the Scottish government.

“I am puzzled that the education minister hasn’t set out in more detail the basis of his closure decision. Scalloway deserves a full explanation after nearly two months of waiting since the government called in the council’s initial decision.

“I will be pressing the education minister to write a rather fuller account of himself for local people. There was no mention of the Anderson High School. Yet the uncertainty over when a new AHS will begin construction was the minister’s reason for calling in the decision.

“I’m not aware of any new information on this. Nor are Scalloway parents who’ve contacted me. So, at the very least, we deserve a full explanation from the Scottish government over why they’ve allowed Scalloway’s junior high school to close.”