A NOBEL prize-winner, who is credited with helping to transform education in the developing world, has criticised the Scottish Executive’s stance on denominational schools, claiming single-faith establishments damage educational attainment.
Amartya Sen, an economist from India, made his comments yesterday in a keynote speech to the Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers in Edinburgh. In his address to ministers from 52 Commonwealth states, Mr Sen criticised the support given by Tony Blair, the Prime Minister, and Jack McConnell, the First Minister, to faith schools.
He told the ministers: "I personally believe that even the UK government makes a mistake in expanding, rather than reducing, faith-based schools, adding, for example, Muslim schools, Hindu schools and Sikh schools to pre-existing Christian ones."
Mr Sen further stressed "the importance of non-sectarian and non-parochial curricula that expand, rather than reduce, the reach of reason", claiming that faith schools reduced individuality and threatened attainment levels.
A spokesman for the Catholic Church in Scotland defended the status quo, saying: "All parents have the right to have their children educated according to their own beliefs. Many non-Christian families choose a Catholic education owing to its adherence to a moral code."
In May 2001, Mr McConnell described Catholic schools as offering "a positive choice and a solid record of achievement to parents and pupils".
A spokeswoman for the Executive said yesterday: "We believe that denominational schools provide an important strand in parental choice in education and make a positive contribution to raising achievement and attainment.
"We value this and would expect to see them continue," the spokeswoman added.