New Labour bill aims to help youngsters "left behind"
Labour wants to introduce new measures to ensure vulnerable youngsters are not left behind'' by schools.
The party is putting forward a serious of amendments to the Education (Scotland) Bill aimed at closing the gap in achievement between children in care and other students.
Opportunity spokesman Iain Gray said The SNP say we should judge them on their record after eight years and we will judge them above all on their record on education.
Today, too many children are left behind and will spend the rest of their lives trying to catch up, we can change that with the Education Bill.''
Labour wants local councils to be required to set out measures to help both deprived youngsters and children in care do better in school.
It also believes Scottish Government executive agency Education Scotland should have a new duty to examine these when carrying out school inspections.
Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale has already pledged that if her party is elected to power, care leavers going on to university will receive grant support of £6,000 a year.
Mr Gray said: We need to close the gap between the richest and the rest, so that young people in care aren't being left behind in our schools.
We can't address the attainment gap without addressing the educational needs of our young people in care.
Labour have already set out how we will make it easier for care leavers to go on to higher education. In order to help them reach that goal, the work must begin in our schools.''
He stated: We know that education is the most important economic policy we can pursue.
If we can give every child a world-class education then they, and Scotland, will be able to take advantage of the amazing opportunities the future will bring.
A government must be judged by how it supports the most disadvantaged people in our society and they don't come much more disadvantaged than young people in care.
The system is failing them in ways it fails no-one else. We owe a duty of care to these children because they are our children, the state is the parent and we pay the bills.''