Support for schools, colleges and universities.
Children, young people and learners of all ages will benefit from record investment in education in the 2022-23 Budget.
Resource and capital spending is up almost 200 million - one of the biggest rises in the history of the Scottish Parliament.
An investment of 145.5 million will ensure the sustained employment of additional teachers and classrooms assistants - enough for around 2,500 teachers and 500 support staff. This represents the biggest increase to support teacher recruitment since 2007.
The Scottish Attainment Challenge will receive 200 million - part of the record 1 billion that will be provided over the course of this Parliament to tackle the poverty-related attainment gap.
Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said:
Our priority is to ensure that all our children and young people have the opportunities they need to fulfil their potential in school and beyond.
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to present challenges, but our commitment to equity and excellence in education does not waver. This record investment in education in the 2022-23 Budget demonstrates our determination to support learners of all ages.
The sustained employment of additional teachers and classroom assistants to support school staff and pupils is a key part of that. So too is our investment to accelerate the pace of tackling the poverty-related attainment gap and achieve the best possible outcomes for all our children and young people, whatever their background.
The Budget will also deliver:
- an offer of 1,140 hours of funded high quality early learning and childcare to all three and four-year-olds and eligible two-year-olds
- over 42 million for the expansion of free lunches for children in primary four and five and special schools, and 30 million for investment in school kitchens and dining areas to prepare for future expansion to all primary school children
- 20 million to remove instrumental music tuition and core curriculum charges
- An initial 15 million for infrastructure to provide a digital device to every school-aged child by 2026
- nearly 2 billion for universities and colleges
- 50 million for the Whole Family Wellbeing Fund, helping to keep The Promise to reduce the number of children in care by supporting families before they reach crisis point
- funding for Scotland's Redress Scheme to support survivors of historical child abuse in care
- 10 million for a summer holiday childcare and activities programme for low income families
- a further 5 million to renew play parks
Background
The 2022-23 Budget delivers an increase in education and skills resource and capital spending of 6.2% on 2021-22.