North-east MSPs welcome funding for schools and families
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North-east MSPs have welcomed a new package of £45million to help local authorities to provide support to schools and families as they deal with the challenges of remote learning during lockdown.
The funding was announced by Education Secretary John Swinney and councils can use the funding for purposes including recruitment of extra staff, additional digital devices or to provide additional family support.
Both Aberdeenshire East MSP Gillian Martin and Stewart Stevenson MSP have welcomed the move.
The cash-boost is on top of £160 million already committed for education recovery since the start of the pandemic.
Private and third sector day care of children settings will also receive almost £4,000,000 in temporary financial support.
MSP Gillian Martin said: “I welcome this further tranche of funding to help support the many families across the north-east having to home school and work all in the same house.
“We know how important additional resources are to support children remote learning as a result of the coronavirus pandemic
“I would like to say a big thank you to all the dedicated, hard-working teachers who are having to educate children in challenging circumstances.
“And to parents who’ve face additional pressures of working from home as well helping their children to learn and care for their wellbeing.
“Funding for childcare for vulnerable children and key worker families can help to protect children at risk and allow frontline staff to help protect us all as we continue to work from home and protect one another against the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.”
Commenting, Stewart Stevenson said: “This new funding will be vital in helping to support teachers and home learning right across my constituency and indeed the country.
“Remote learning can be very difficult and funding to allow more support and to ease the burden placed on all those contributing to children’s learning is a very necessary step.”
