By Leeza Clark

A POLITICAL storm was brewing over the official opening of Duloch Primary School and Community Campus yesterday, with Labour criticising the SNP for taking the credit.

SNP education secretary Fiona Hyslop was in Dunfermline to open the school that was commissioned and built by the previous Labour administration on Fife Council.

The party questioned the timing of the event as the school, on Dunfermline’s Eastern expansion, has been open to children for more than a year.

Labour’s shadow education secretary, Rhona Brankin, said, “Officially opening this school today shows how desperate Fiona Hyslop is—this is not the first time she has tried to take the credit for schools that were commissioned, planned and built by Labour.

“The truth is the SNP have had over 18 months to build new schools, but we have yet to see one new project get the go-ahead since they came into power, and there is no new system of funding in place to make it happen.

“It is about time the education secretary made some real progress for the sake of parents, pupils and teachers across the country who just have to make do in run-down schools.”

Douglas Chapman, chairman of Fife’s education and children’s services committee, responded that the day was about the children of the school and not party politics.

“There were no political speeches, no reference made to PFI (Private Finance Initiative)—just a very positive day for the children and the school.

“I think, with a wee bit of good grace, they may do well to reconsider their comments and put the focus on the children and their performance.”

This was the last of the round of 10 Public-Private Partnership (PPP) schools in Fife to be officially opened.

Official openings are usually held after the school has been running for some time to allow pupils and staff time to settle in.

The campus contains Duloch Primary School, Duloch Leisure Centre and Community Library and Calaiswood additional needs school, which had its own official opening last June.

Fife provost Frances Melville welcomed visitors before handing over to Ms Hyslop, who said, “Schools are usually at the heart of the community, but this is a very special school because the community is at its heart.”

After unveiling a plaque, she saw children perform songs, music and drama.

Duloch Primary, under head teacher Mary Crawford, has been open for a year and has 380 pupils in 14 classes as well as a large nursery.

In addition, the complex’s library is open until late in the evening and at weekends and already boasts 3000 members, while the leisure centre has had 69,000 visitors since it opened to the public.

Mr Chapman added, “It was a fantastic day for the school.

“It was really such an appropriate celebration. It is up and running and providing a valuable resource—not just for the children, but for the wider community—with its library and sports facilities.

“It is a really good community resource, which is being well used.

“I am delighted the official opening has taken place and we managed to get the education secretary to do that.”