The strong performance of Scotland’s young people in the Global Competence international league table should be a source of shame, not pride.

The whole scheme is just naked political indoctrination, so all that it demonstrates is the power of Scottish schools to inculcate left/liberal/progressive/internationalist ideology.

The man responsible for its inception stated that the Brexit vote might have been averted had this sort of education been implemented earlier. If that’s not a blatant admission of seeking to mould the political views of a new generation, I don’t know what is.

Let’s look at some questions from this “assessment.” “I think of myself as a citizen of the world.” Correct answer: yes. Can one even be a citizen of a non-state entity? Is regarding oneself as primarily as citizen of one’s own nation really worthy of penalisation? A recurrent theme is the denigration of patriotism and promotion of internationalism.

“I participate in activities promoting equality between men and women.” Correct answer: yes. This is an open invitation to dogmatic feminists to open up the education system as a front in the battle of the sexes, using lessons to sow resentment and misandry at every opportunity. This has been going on in Scotland for years already.

“I reduce the energy I use at home to protect the environment.” Correct answer: yes. Aside from the chronic unreliability of self-reporting, how are young people expected to do this? Install insulation? Turn down the heating in the family home?

All of this is a million miles away from rigorous academic education, and it’s not even effective character development either, as the emphasis is on politically contested attitudes rather than virtue.

John Swinney may be over the moon that he has finally found a league table in which Scottish schools can perform well, but what he has really found is an international body willing to collaborate in his project of wholesale indoctrination.

https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/scotlands-school-pupils-deserve-praise-their-global-competence-scotsman-comment-3012272