Ross Greer MSP

West of Scotland

External Affairs, Education & Skills, Culture & Media

Ross was Communities Co-ordinator at Yes Scotland, helping to develop the movement for independence. He is a member of Holyrood's European and Education committees. Ross is an active community campaigner on issues ranging from school closures to supermarket expansion and opportunities for young people. Upon election in May 2016 at the age of 21, Ross became the youngest MSP in the history of the Scottish Parliament. He was formerly a Member of the Scottish Youth Parliament for Clydebank & MIilngavie constituency and led on the successful campaign to give 16 & 17 year olds the vote in the independence referendum.

Ross Greer: SQA music advice ridiculous and insulting

Fri 27 Nov, 2020

New advice from the SQA that pupils preparing for music exams who are unable to be taught properly should try ‘learning a different instrument’ is “ridiculous and insulting”, Scottish Greens education spokesperson Ross Greer has said.

The exams body has issued guidance on how COVID is impacting exams which includes the line: “Brass, woodwind and voice candidates, who are unable to be supported by face to face learning and teaching leading up to their assessment, might wish to consider the option of learning a different instrument.”

Greens force Tory climbdown on teacher standards

Wed 25 Nov, 2020

The UK Government has been forced by Greens to improve protections for Scottish teaching standards in the controversial Internal Market Bill.

The bill, which seeks to undermine the powers of devolved nations, would have forced the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) to register individuals as qualified teachers, even if they did not meet the high professional standards required to teach in Scotland, so long as they met the lower standards required in England.

Swinney must deliver school testing

Mon 23 Nov, 2020

Scottish Greens education spokesperson Ross Greer MSP has renewed calls on John Swinney to improve school safety after a survey published by EIS revealed that fewer than one third of teachers feel safe at school, while another from NASUWT shows that an overwhelming majority of teachers feel that control measures in their schools are inadequate.

Parliament backs Scottish Green proposals for safer schools

Thu 19 Nov, 2020

MSPs have backed Scottish Green proposals to make schools safer during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite efforts to block it by the Scottish Government, ministers have been urged to provide more protection for vulnerable staff and pupils, including offering regular tests and employing more teachers to cover absences.

Failure to plan risks repeat of uni mistakes

Wed 18 Nov, 2020

The Scottish Government's lack of plans for a safe return of students in January risks another Covid outbreak on the scale seen in September, Scottish Greens education spokesperson Ross Greer MSP has said.

Scottish Greens to force vote on teacher safety

Tue 17 Nov, 2020

The Scottish Parliament is set to back more protections for school staff and pupils during the COVID-19 pandemic, in a debate brought forward by the Scottish Greens.

The party’s education spokesperson Ross Greer has proposed a motion for debate tomorrow [Wednesday 18 Nov] raising concerns over reports that clinically vulnerable teachers have been pressured to work despite the advice of their GPs, or told to turn off their NHS track and trace app.

Teachers must be allowed to use app say Greens

Wed 11 Nov, 2020

Scottish Greens education spokesperson Ross Greer MSP has called on education secretary John Swinney to intervene after it emerged teachers were being instructed to disable or remove the contacting tracing app from their phones.

Mr Greer raised the concerns after it emerged that Aberdeen City Council’s chief education officer had instructed school staff to “disable or remove the app while working in school”.

Ross Greer MSP said:

Greens call on government to catch up on student testing

Tue 10 Nov, 2020

Commenting on reports that mass testing is to be rolled out ahead of Christmas for students living in halls in England, [1] Scottish Greens education spokesperson Ross Greer MSP has renewed his call for students here to be offered mass testing too.

Pressure builds on Swinney as Wales cancel 2021 exams

Tue 10 Nov, 2020

Scottish Greens education spokesperson Ross Greer MSP has renewed his call for Education Secretary John Swinney to cancel the 2021 exam diet in full, after the Welsh Government announced it would cancel all exams.

Mr Greer has consistently called on the Scottish Government to base 2021 grades on assessment made by teachers throughout the year, highlighting the unfairness of asking pupils who may have missed weeks of class time in self-isolation to sit exams and the risk of those exams being cancelled entirely at short notice.

Ross Greer MSP said:

Ross Greer: Action needed to ensure safe staffing levels in schools

Mon 9 Nov, 2020

The Scottish Government must deliver emergency funding to ensure safe staffing levels in Scotland’s schools, Scottish Greens education spokesperson Ross Greer MSP has said.

Mr Greer made the call following the publication of official figures which reveal that 2,206 school staff were absent last week, including over 1000 teachers.

Ross Greer MSP said: