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Teaching democracy
Education in Scotland has always played an active role in preparing pupils to be future citizens, able to understand and participate in our democratic process.
Through the curriculum, pupils are taught to understand the origins and development of democratic processes and how people become part of the decision making process, both at national and local level.
Robin Harper has always been at the centre of this, from his time as a history teacher at Boroughmuir High School, to his years as an MSP. Passionate about making the Peoples' Parliament accessible to pupils, he sees his work with the Parliament's Education Service and Scottish Youth Parliament as important to their understanding of Scottish Democracy. He has visited over 51 schools over the years, to talk about the functions of Holyrood and the work of an MSP.
He is first to acknowledge the work of many of the MSPs in working with schools; be that through visits or projects, and he acknowledges the sound work of the education team at Parliament, which sees hundreds of pupils every year come to Holyrood to engage in a valuable and hands on experience.
Robin would like to see schools direct their pupils more to the work of local councils, to the work of community councils and to the local democratic process. The Parliament and Councils should be seen to be working together; local and national decisions working in tandem. It is, he feels, important that young people know not just who makes their laws but who organises their local transport, cleans their streets and supports their schools.
He agrees that pupils should have a say in their schools and understand the process of engaging in the decision process, be that in Pupil Councils or mock elections. He would, of course, like to see that extended with schools letting pupils talk to their local councils, to better understand the democratic process that can be seen to directly impact on them. Letting pupils talk about the issues that affect them would let them know that citizenship is not just a subject in school, but an entitlement to help to make change possible.
Robin feels it is important that they be given the chance to talk through problems which may not always have a right answer, and that may not always be solvable to everyone's satisfaction. Even a negative experience is a valuable one for pupils to learn from. What is important is the understanding of the process, with participation being seen to be the first steps to enacting change. A valuable lesson.
To say that young people are not engaging in political activity is wrong, says Robin. More young people than ever before are taking part in voluntary work and voluntary organisations. During activities week in schools around 20 per cent are getting involved in real life situations, through charities such as Shelter and Oxfam. Pupils are learning that voluntary work and single issue causes are political forces that enact positive change.
Schools across Scotland have become eco schools, actively involved in issues that will impact on their lives; Robin Harper acknowledges the fact that Scotland is one of the leading countries in the Eco Schools Programme. A topic that allows whole school participation, 3,500 schools in the country are now registered, with 98 per cent of Local Authority schools in the project as well as schools from the independent and early years sector.
Thirty one per cent have attained the highest award, the Green Flag.
He sees this kind of involvement as a first step in political involvement for many pupils, a step that prepares them well for future and active participation in the area of citizenship, taking responsibility.
This kind of participation is often extended beyond their school years and into their adult lives, sometimes remaining as single issue causes, sometimes encouraging them to be more politically active in cross issue platforms.
National and international companies work with schools and Robin knows that they help their pupils to engage with these companies through competitions and projects but encourage them to understand the roles played by multi nationals in their individual lives. Schools can help them develop the skills to make value judgments through structured opportunities.
Politics is therefore more than issues of governance and party politics, Robin Harper sees it being enshrined in issues that impact on daily lives, issues such as sustainable development, climate change , marginalisation and natural resources; with pupils being encouraged to engage through collecting evidence, active participation and seeking to influence.
He sees school councils as a real start, even if often being caught up with discussions on school uniform and playground duties, but he understands that these pupils are finding out for themselves how to talk with others, represent them and taking an active part in helping to make positive change.
Finally, he sees the Youth Parliament in Scotland as taking that one step further with more national experience. Mock elections in schools are valuable too, creating a more realistic environment in which to learn about the political process and the voting system.
Robin Harper MSP has been a member of the Scottish Parliament for Lothians since 1999, the first ever elected Green parliamentarian in the UK's political history, Robin will not be standing in the 2011 elections.