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2nd December 2008

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Rankin tackles literacy

24.06.08

Ian Rankin is to head a Labour commission into declining standards of literacy in Scottish schools, reports the Times.

Rankin, who has previously criticised Labour for not doing enough to improve childhood literacy, was asked to head the commission by Rhona Brankin, the Scottish party’s shadow education minister. He will investigate why pupils are failing to achieve minimum standards in reading and writing.

Almost half of 14-year-olds in Scottish schools fail to meet basic standards in writing and Scotland has slumped from 14th to 26th place in an international ranking of reading achievement, behind Latvia and Lithuania.

Timesonline

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