THE first little thought that might have occurred to anyone considering the appointment of the chief executive of Dumfries and Galloway Primary Care NHS Trust as the new chief executive of the Scottish Qualifications Authority is that things must be pretty bad at the trust to tempt someone towards Scottish education’s bed of nails. But it was no doubt a smart career move for David Fraser. Things, as they say, can only get better.
The wider implications are, however, worth noting. Mr Fraser is not an education guru or an assessment genius: he is simply a manager with a track record.
But we trust there will be no suggestion that this principle of attracting non-educationists to fill education posts should become more widespread. There are those who have contemplated such a move for heads. The week when the Standard for Headship was made compulsory (page four) is an appropriate time to underline this as the way to enhance the quality of leadership within schools.
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