SNP and Lib Dem commitment to outdoor education in tatters as Fife Council move to scrap outdoor learning for pupils

Liz Smith, Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education & Lifelong Learning and Scottish Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland & Fife, has called on the SNP and Scottish Liberal Democrats to honour their election pledges to provide outdoor education for Scotland's children.

Lib Dem / SNP controlled Fife Council plan to cut the outdoor education programme for Fife children. Ardroy Outdoor Education Centre currently has virtually every academic week booked by Fife schools through to June 2013 and this centre's future is now at risk. Fife Council's decision will see over 2000 primary school children across Fife lose this outdoor learning opportunity.

A final decision will be made on its fate early in February 2011. Pupils from Perth & Kinross and Argyll & Bute Councils also attend outdoor education programmes at Ardroy.

Liz Smith MSP said:

"For more than 40 years, Ardroy has been delivering inspirational outdoor learning opportunities to generations of Fife residents and beyond. Each year P7 pupil from schools across Fife take part in a week's residential outdoor education program.

"I have received letters and emails from pupils, teachers and adults who have enjoyed their time at Ardroy and who now see what a worthwhile experience it was for them and can be for future generations of Scotland's children.

"Both the SNP and Liberal Democrat parties made the commitment in their 2007 Holyrood Manifestos to provide outdoor education to Scotland's young people. In power together they are doing the opposite and scrapping outdoor education for Fife children.

"It would be a sad day for Ardroy Outdoor Education Centre to cease to operate, but it would be an even sadder day for all the children who would lose out on this experience. It would also be directly at odds with the ideals set out by SNP Ministers in the Curriculum for Excellence.

"Both the SNP and Liberal Democrats pledged to outdoor education for every school pupil at the last Holyrood election.

"I have today written to Mike Russell MSP, SNP Cabinet Secretary for Education, asking him to look at what support the Scottish Government can give to secure the future running costs of the centres and given the fact that this will see over 2000 primary school children across Fife lose this outdoor learning opportunity."

For further information see website: www.saveardroy.com

SNP 2007 Holyrood Manifesto:

"We will work towards a guarantee of 5 days outdoor education for every school pupil. To start this process, we will provide an additional £250,000 each year to support the expansion of 5 days subsidised outdoor education targeted at children from our most deprived communities."

Scottish Liberal Democrats 2007 Holyrood Manifesto:

"Every child will be entitled to two weeks of outdoor activity during their time at secondary school, allowing them to learn new skills and better understand their environment."

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