Spending on school places in West Dunbartonshire has fallen dramatically over the past decade.
Figures revealed last week show funding has dropped by 11 percent per secondary pupils and nine percent for primary children.
That is despite West Dunbartonshire being designated a ‘challenge authority’ - and earmarked for special measures in a bid to break the link between poverty and lack of educational attainment.
West Dunbartonshire unemployment rate drops
The Scottish Government had claimed to have ring-fenced a £750million fighting fund to help boost educational achievement in nine poverty-stricken council areas, including West Dunbartonshire.
But MSP Jackie Baillie says data shows spending on pupil places has slumped by 11 percent per secondary pupil since the financial year 2010/11, while funding for primary places has dropped by nine percent over the same period.
West Dunbartonshire consistently scores highly on tables recognising disadvantaged communities blighted by poverty - such as the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation.
Yet the drop in spend for secondary school pupils is above the 2.9 percent national average cut.
Haldane couple overwhelmed by public support following groom's tumour diagnosis
Labour MSP Jackie blasted the news, saying: “West Dunbartonshire suffers from significant pockets of poverty and unemployment. This is backed up by its designation as a ‘challenge authority’ but the attainment gap will never be closed when the funding set aside to address this is being cut.
“Despite attainment challenge funding, Scotland’s most deprived communities, including those in West Dunbartonshire, are seeing brutal cuts in school classrooms.”
Drug labelled life-changing by Bonhill woman is knocked back
She added: “The SNP claim that education is their top priority, but their cuts to local authority budgets prove that this is not the case.
“West Dunbartonshire Council is now reporting that their ability to raise attainment is at risk and that national expectations for education will not be delivered.
“This is a crisis and the Scottish Government need to restore funding.”
We asked both West Dunbartonshire Council and the Scottish Government for comment but neither responded before our deadline.
For more local news, click here
