Scots’ student loan debt is low
New figures show the average student loan debt for Scots who have just become liable to repay their loans was the lowest in the UK, at pound;6,480. This compares with pound;17,140 in England, pound;15,880 in Northern Ireland and pound;13,650 in Wales, the Student Loans Company found. The Scottish government said its decision to abolish tuition fees for Scottish students was helping to keep their debts lower. For details, see
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CBE honour for learning director
Christine Pollock, North Lanarkshire’s executive director of learning and leisure, has been appointed a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours. The former teacher, who began her career in a Glasgow secondary in 1975, took up her post in 2007. Her remit includes 122 primary schools, 24 secondaries, 13 special schools, 16 nurseries and 68 nursery classes.
Oscar-worthy scholarship
A daughter of Scottish Olympic hero Eric Liddell, subject of the Oscar- winning film Chariots of Fire, has launched a sports scholarship in his honour. Patricia Russell, 77, travelled from Canada to join University of Edinburgh representatives for the launch. The scholarship aims to help student athletes cope with the demands of high-level competition. A funding drive begins next month, backed by two of the university’s Olympians, cyclist Sir Chris Hoy and rower Katherine Grainger.
Teachers to be struck off
Supply teacher John Villiers, 43, has been struck off by the General Teaching Council for Scotland’s disciplinary sub-committee for “inappropriate communication with pupils and failure to engage in a reasonable manner with GTC Scotland’s complaints process”. Meanwhile, a geography teacher, Grahame Walkingshaw has asked to be removed from Scotland’s teaching register after being found by guilty of unacceptable professional conduct by the General Teaching Council for England, for misrepresenting his employment history.
Dissent over cuts to FE funding
FE lecturers protested at the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday against cuts to their sector. The EIS presented education secretary Michael Russell with two petitions: one on FE, another on the management and operation of the University of the Highlands and Islands, which operates through FE colleges.
