DUNFERMLINE MSP Cara Hilton has hit out against Fife Council’s controversial proposed cuts to the school week.

Mrs Hilton, who has two children already at primary school and another starting in August, has written to head of education Craig Munro calling for a rejection of the proposals which could see the school week being cut by two-and-a-half hours - adding up to an entire month of the school year.

Education chiefs insist that the proposals will benefit students’ learning and are not a direct result of the £77million budget gap that Fife Council needs to plug but Mrs Hilton is sceptical about the claims.

“I have no doubt that if the council wasn’t in the financial position it is, we wouldn’t be seeing this proposal on the table,” she said.

“I am not convinced that reducing the time our children spend in school by 10 per cent will be of any educational benefit either now or in the future.

“Consensus amongst parents is that they object to their children being used as guinea pigs given the lack of any evidence of educational benefit in reducing their child’s time at school.

“I am particularly concerned about how a reduction in school hours may impact upon children with additional support needs and about how our schools can fully deliver Curriculum for Excellence with less time available in the school week.” Mrs Hilton has spoken directly to parents at her surgeries and during doorstep canvassing sessions, as well as receiving almost 100 letters and emails on the issue.

“While most parents do appreciate the serious budget challenges facing Fife Council, they do not accept their child’s education should suffer as a result of the council’s budget challenges and all responses I have received have been opposed to a reduction in the school day,” she said.

“I too share the concerns that parents, carers and grandparents have expressed to me about the implications of reducing the school week on both children’s educational attainment and on their own work life balance and childcare costs.” According to Mrs Hilton, shortening the school day would be a “massive headache” for working parents already struggling to find flexible jobs and childcare.

She also argues that it would put vulnerable children at more risk as well as increasing the financial pressure on already-stretched family budgets.

“Clearly the council is in a very difficult position thanks to budget cuts from Holyrood and the underfunded council tax freeze but no parent I have spoken to is prepared for their child to pay the price of these financial challenges,” she said.

“There is absolutely no doubt that the overwhelming verdict of parents who have contacted me in Dunfermline and the West Fife villages is that Fife Council should drop the proposal to cut the school day.” Mrs Hilton concluded by calling for the proposal to be rejected and told Mr Munro, “I hope your team will act on the feedback that parents, carers and grandparents have given in Dunfermline and across Fife and withdraw the proposal to cut school hours in Fife schools.”