Latest news with #PamDuncanGlancy
BBC News
6 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
MSPs pass bill to scrap SQA for new Scottish exams body
MSPs have passed legislation which will see Scotland's school exams agency Scottish Qualifications Authority is to be scrapped in favour of a new body called Qualifications Scotland. The Education (Scotland) Bill also sets out plans for a new inspector of education. The changes follow controversies over exam marking in recent years, with government ministers arguing they will improve the opposition parties have raised concerns that the reforms are a "superficial rebrand". After two days of debate at Holyrood which stretched late into the evening, the bill passed by a vote of 69 to Secretary Jenny Gilruth said the passing of the Bill showed that the Scottish government was "serious about implementing the changes needed to drive improvement across Scotland's education and skills system".She added: "The creation of a new national qualifications body is about building the right conditions for reform to flourish."The new body will ensure that knowledge and experience of pupils and teachers are at the heart of our national qualifications offering. "The new inspectorate body will also have greater independence and the power to set the frequency and focus of inspections, moving this function away from ministers, to His Majesty's Chief Inspector." 'Superficial rebrand' Ahead of the final vote, Scottish Labour said they would vote against the party's education spokeswoman Pam Duncan-Glancy called the plans a "superficial rebrand".She argued that Scotland's education system, which "was once the envy of the world", was "declining" under the added: "A catalogue of failures and scandals by the SQA and the SNP has left trust in our education system in tatters."Her amendment of the Bill to establish Curriculum Scotland, a new body to take charge of setting what pupils should learn, was voted down by a late-night sitting on Tuesday, MSPs rejected the proposal, despite Duncan-Glancy insisting it would not increase costs for the Scottish said Education Scotland was already leading on improvements to the said: "I do not believe there are sufficient advantages to establishing a new standalone curriculum body in legislation and the expense that will incur, when we already have a national education agency being refocused on curriculum improvement and supporting implementation across the system."SNP MSP George Adam said the Bill had been "shaped" with input from pupils, parents and added: "The SNP Scottish government is proud of this Bill and is committed to implementing the system and culture change required to improve outcomes and support professionals in classrooms and education settings all over Scotland." This vote has been a long time coming, following years of promises and debate and several independent reviews about the future of the education how big of a deal is it?Some have characterised this as a rebrand rather than a revolution, claiming that Qualifications Scotland will end up looking an awful lot like the is fair to reflect that a body delivering exams and qualifications is a rather specific thing. There was always going to be significant overlap between the legacy organisation and its the government insists the new body will look and act differently, and will have much more input from teachers and pupils, giving them the chance to drive already know there will be some changes to the role of exams too, with a greater focus on coursework and classroom assessments in final education system is notoriously difficult to retain significant responsibility for much of what goes on in schools, there are powerful unions looking out for teachers, and the government has no majority in a "big bang" moment was always having waited years for this change to happen, we may have to wait a bit longer to see how significant it proves to be. In June 2021, Shirley-Anne Somerville, then education secretary, announced that the SQA would be replaced as part of a "substantial" overhaul of proposal came after a report from the OECD - the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development - on the Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) .The report backed the curriculum as a whole, but said there was too much focus on exams in later years of said the "visionary ideals" of the curriculum - which was meant to be focused on producing more rounded individuals rather than teaching to tests - had not fully succeeded. It also claimed the qualifications system was a "barrier" to its aims in secondary Covid pandemic brought particular focus onto the school qualifications system, with criticism of how grades have been decided after formal exams were cancelled.
The Independent
13-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
MSP ‘overwhelmed' to become MBE
An MSP has told how she felt 'overwhelmed' when she learned she will become a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). Pam Duncan-Glancy is recognised in the King's Birthday Honours for years of public and political service. Speaking to the PA news agency, the Labour Glasgow MSP – the first permanent wheelchair user to be elected to the Scottish Parliament and a tireless disability campaigner – said she had learned about the honour in a text from her husband after she had received an email about it. 'I was overwhelmed, to be honest, and could hardly believe what I was reading,' she said. 'I'm really, really proud to have been given this honour for the work that I've done in the community and for disability rights. 'It's a real honour to do this. 'When I got elected as an MSP, I said I was a wee working class woman in a wheelchair. To think that I could be a wee working class woman in a wheelchair who's also got an MBE, I just thought that was pretty special.' While receiving such an honour from the Palace requires discretion, Ms Duncan-Glancy admitted she struggled keeping it all a secret. 'I told my sister, obviously my husband knows and I told my team and a couple of friends, but it was really difficult to keep it quiet,' she said. With just 11 months until the next Holyrood election, the MSP said there is 'loads more' the Scottish Parliament and politics more widely has to do for more disabled people to seek election. 'We need to support people to be active in their communities in the first place,' she said. 'For disabled people, it can often be about giving them help to get out of bed in the morning. 'There's quite a mountain to climb for us to support disabled people to get into politics and it's a mountain we absolutely have to climb, because there should be no space about us, without us. 'We need to do everything we possibly can to get more representation of disabled people, not just in Parliament or councils, but everywhere.' Elected in 2021, Ms Duncan-Glancy has impressed in her first term as an MSP, being given a spot on the Scottish Labour frontbench before even making it to Holyrood, when she was appointed social security spokeswoman by leader Anas Sarwar in the early weeks of his tenure. Before entering politics, she worked in communications for the NHS and campaigned for the rights of disabled people.
BBC News
13-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Pam Duncan-Glancy 'over the moon' at King's MBE honour
Scottish Labour politician Pam Duncan-Glancy leads a host of Scots who have been recognised in the King's Birthday Glasgow MSP becomes a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her public and political told BBC Scotland News the award had left her feeling "overwhelmed".She added: "I'm over the moon. It's for services to community, disability, equality and politics - things I am really really passionate about - which is lovely." 'Working class woman in a wheelchair' Duncan-Glancy was the first permanent wheelchair user to be elected to the Scottish Parliament in 2021 and is a tireless disability the moment she found out about the honour, the MSP said: "I was in a meeting and my husband phoned me. I could see my phone ringing and I thought I will get that later."Then he phoned me back and then texted me saying 'you've got a letter that you need to open - because it had the royal seal on it'. But I couldn't talk to him."He texted me back and said 'I've opened it - you've got an MBE'. So that's how I found out."The 43-year-old said it was a massive added: "When I got elected as an MSP, I said I was a wee working class woman in a wheelchair. "To think that I could be a wee working class woman in a wheelchair who's also got an MBE, I just thought that was pretty special." With just 11 months until the next Holyrood election, the MSP said more needed to be done to encourage disabled people to seek election."We need to support people to be active in their communities in the first place," Duncan-Glancy said."For disabled people, it can often be about giving them help to get out of bed in the morning."There's quite a mountain to climb for us to support disabled people to get into politics and it's a mountain we absolutely have to climb."There should be no space about us, without us."The MSP said she was looking forward to her investiture and hoped to take her sister and husband along because they had "sacrificed a lot over the years for my activism". She also joked she might bump into a football legend who has been honoured with a said: "I mean, if David Beckham happens to be getting his the same day that would be a double bonus." Elsewhere in the honours list, John and Lorna Norgrove are both made OBEs for services to women and children abroad and in set up the Linda Norgrove Foundation in memory of their daughter aid worker, from Lewis, was kidnapped by the Taliban and died in an attempted rescue by US forces in October the charity worked with both the Scottish and UK governments to bring 19 female Afghan medical students to Scotland to continue their degrees as they were barred by the Taliban from completing their studies in couple said: "We dedicate this honour to all those brave women who remain in Afghanistan, or who have made the decision to leave their homes and families behind to move abroad and continue their studies and careers. "Their struggle continues and they are the real heroes of this story." Nationwide CEO Debbie Crosbie, the only woman to lead a "big six" bank in the UK, gets a damehood for her services to financial Debbie, who grew up in Glasgow, said: "I try to encourage people to think beyond, 'I'm a female', but when it comes to this (honour) I am actually hugely proud."Meanwhile, Roisin Currie, a fellow Glaswegian, has been made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for her services to Strathclyde University graduate was appointed chief executive of Greggs in 2022 having joined the Newcastle-based bakery chain, in Alistair Moffat, 74, who founded the Borders Book Festival, is also recognised in the becomes an MBE in recognition of services to literature and culture. Others recognised include Charles Pelling, manager of the Lady Haig Poppy Factory in becomes an OBE in recognition of services to veterans.A social media influencer known as the Hillwalking Hijabi has also been Mahmood, 34, president of Ramblers Scotland, is made an MBE for her contribution to voluntary service in retired Police Scotland Assistant Chief Constable Gary Ritchie has been honoured with the King's Police Medal (KPM).The force's chief officer of human resources, Nicky Page, becomes an MBE for services to policing, equality and Jenna Speirs, and her parents Caroline and Duncan Speirs, have each been awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) for founding a charity in honour of Jenna's twin brother, Calum, who died of cancer aged family, from the Isle of Bute, started Calum's Cabin to provide holiday facilities for children undergoing cancer treatment and their Secretary Ian Murray said: "The honours list showcases the remarkable achievements of individuals across Scotland who have gone above and beyond in their respective fields."Their service to our communities represents the spirit of dedication and excellence that makes Scotland proud."
The Guardian
13-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Protests planned as Scottish parliament holds free vote on assisted dying bill
Opponents of proposals to legalise assisted dying in Scotland have warned it is ethically wrong to allow the state to help someone take their own life. Campaigners against assisted dying, including the Silent Witness actor Liz Carr, are staging demonstrations outside the Scottish parliament on Tuesday, hours before MSPs hold a free vote on new legalisation proposals. Pam Duncan-Glancy, Scottish Labour education spokesperson and one of Holyrood's few disabled MSPs, said it was a mistake to see this issue as one about choice and personal autonomy. It had far-reaching consequences, she added. She opposed the bill because 'we are legislating for the state to assist someone to take their own life, and in almost every other circumstance we want the state to legislate for people to live and live well'. That crossed a very significant ethical line, she added. 'No one wants to be in pain; I have lived with chronic pain for 41 years, but the answer should be to ensure that as much palliative care should be in place as possible.' Tuesday's stage one vote will allow the bill to be scrutinised in detail and amended by a committee of MSPs, but some prominent politicians have spoken out against it, including all three of Scotland's most recent first ministers – John Swinney, Humza Yousaf and Nicola Sturgeon. The bill, first proposed by the Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur in 2021, allows someone to request assisted dying if two doctors confirm they have an advanced and progressive terminal illness. The person must have the mental capacity at the time of death to understand their decision, and the ability to carry out the procedure to end their life without someone's help. McArthur's bill does not include a time limit; a parallel bill being considered for England and Wales requires doctors to confirm the patient is likely to die in six months or less. In a post on Instagram on Monday, Sturgeon said she feared the bill's provisions against coercion could not prevent 'internal coercion' where an ill person felt 'others might be better off' if they were not there, she said. 'It would risk a situation in which a right to die might become, in the minds of some people, a perceived duty to die.' Fraser Sutherland, the chief executive of the Humanist Society of Scotland, who plans to speak in favour of the bill outside Holyrood on Tuesday, said the 'vast majority' of Scottish voters supported its measures and urged MSPs to be 'bold, brave, and compassionate'. 'This bill is about compassion, dignity and the fundamental right to choose,' he said. 'Right now, too many Scots with terminal illnesses are forced to suffer or die abroad simply because the law denies them control over their final moments. That is not humane and it must change. 'Assisted dying is not a fringe idea, it is mainstream.' McArthur, who also sits as one of Holyrood's deputy presiding officers, said the current system left patients and their families unjustifiably traumatised and meant those suffering 'took matters into their own hands', with the wealthy able to afford assisted dying in Switzerland. 'Scotland cannot put off this conversation. And parliament cannot continue to leave this issue in the 'too difficult' box,' he said. 'It must, at the very least, allow time for amendments to be considered to see if a bill can be agreed that commands majority support and public confidence.'
