Jenny Gilruth MSP’s column in the Glenrothes Gazette and East Fife Mail – 7/10/20 – 13/10/20
Published date : 12 Oct 2020
This week marks Challenge Poverty Week. For every 100 children in Fife, 36 of them live in the 20% most deprived areas of the Kingdom. For all levels of Government the scourge of Poverty remains a challenge in 2020.
In Holyrood last week I was proud to vote in favour of the Scottish Child Payment; it was also important that this legislation was passed unanimously by MSPs. This payment will provide low-income families with an additional £10 per week, initially for each child aged under six, helping to tackle child poverty and to deliver a fairer Scotland. The latest figures from the Scottish Fiscal Commission estimate that around 13,300 children and families are estimated to benefit in Fife.
Another key factor in tackling Child Poverty is quality education. For this reason a clear priority for the Scottish Government, as we continue to tackle Coronavirus, has been keeping schools open to safeguard the education and wellbeing of our young people. But fully re-opening our schools would not have possible were it not for the professionalism of our teachers throughout the pandemic.
Monday (5th October) marked World Teachers’ Day. It aims to raise awareness about the role teachers play in quality education at all levels, and this year it is particularly important to acknowledge the work that is being done by teachers and support staff across the country. Without the work of our teachers and all the support staff in schools, the return to full-time education that we have seen would not be possible.
As a former teacher myself, I appreciate the pressure that staff members have been under since the return to school in August and I want to put on record my thanks to all those continuing to work on the front line in the schools of Mid Fife and Glenrothes. Now more than ever, the education of our children and ensuring they are engaged with the world around them is vitally important.
It was great to welcome two local High School pupils into my (virtual) constituency office over the summer as part of my school internship scheme. I was delighted to give them both a flavour of some of the work I do as your local MSP. In this vein, I have contacted Glenwood, Glenrothes and Auchmuty High Schools to offer my time to speak virtually with Modern Studies classes about the political process and about my role as a constituency MSP during Covid19. The work as a constituency MSP continues – so please remember if you or your family are in need of any assistance then don’t hesitate to contact my office on 01592 764 815 or email Jenny.Gilruth.msp@parliament.scot.
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