Highland Council’s education chairman John Finlayson moved to reassure parents that money ring-fenced for attainment in Highland schools would not be taken out to help close the council’s massive budget gap.
Mr Finlayson said there had been a lot of scare mongering and mixed messages about it, after the Scottish Government said councils could exercise flexibility over certain pots of money ring-fenced for educational attainment.
He said Pupil Equity Fund (PEF) money of £4.1m would be distributed across schools.
Scottish Attainment Challenge funding of £1.5m would be distributed across nine schools.
Most of the £2m of devolved school management (DSM) funds, saved by head teachers and proposed for taking into the main budget had already been spent, he said.
“The proposed removal of this doesn’t impact on the core funding for schools in 2020/21.”
He added: “As a direct result of lockdown we will have avoided school costs of £1m.”
He said: “Returning to education is crucial for everyone and the council is committed to ensuring that councils have appropriate staffing and resources.”
Councillor Graham Mackenzie, former Dingwall Academy head teacher said: “We took away DSM last year and promised this money would not be touched again.
“This money should be available to young people and their families and not be a matter of politics.”