Learning about Scotland’s history, heritage and culture is promoted and supported in the context of curriculum for excellence. That includes a unit on Scottish history in the national 4 and 5 and higher history courses.

In my Constituency of Strathkelvin and Bearsden, we are currently celebrating the Thomas Muir festival, which is an annual event organised by the Friends of Thomas Muir to commemorate the father of Scottish democracy. Does the Cabinet secretary agree that our children should learn all that there is to know about Scotland’s great pioneers?

I do. It is important that there is a deep understanding of the figures in Scottish history who have shaped our country, its values and its identity. There is a significant opportunity for that to be developed through our curriculum and for young people to appreciate the depth of Scottish history and the contribution of individuals such as Thomas Muir to the formation of the modern Scotland that we know today.

I think that the Cabinet secretary will agree with me that our Scottish culture—both history and literature—should be embedded in our children’s learning. I raised the issue of literature with the cabinet secretary, and he stated in his letter to me of 8 November:

“Many primary schools study the works of Burns, for example”.

However, is that not the problem? In my day, a few moons ago, we “did” Burns in January. Has much changed or is it still the case that the study of Scots literature is peripheral and, if I may say so, even tokenistic?

I have to say that I was not around when Christine Grahame was at school—

Members:

Oh!

However, from my wild speculation of what might have been going on at that time, I, too, think that it is very important that there is a broad understanding of the contribution of Scottish authors to literature, and I see a range of evidence of that in the school curriculum. The understanding of the work of our makar, Jackie Kay, is important, and within some of our certificated qualifications there is a requirement to consider a text from Scottish literature. In all those respects, I think that due account is taken.

The serious point that Christine Grahame makes is that there is a significant contribution from Scottish literature to our education system and to knowledge within our country, and it should be a central part of what young people experience as part of their education.

6. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider making Scottish history a priority subject on the school curriculum. (S5O-00454)