From SRC to Cab Sec Education
Published: 23 November 2014
The new Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning in the Scottish Government, Angela Constance MSP, is a University of Glasgow alumna and former President of the Students' Representative Council.
The new Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning in the Scottish Government, Angela Constance MSP, is a University of Glasgow alumna and former President of the Students' Representative Council.
She replaces Michael Russell MSP as part of the reshuffle announced at the end of last week by the new First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. The job includes responsibility for universities and has a wide brief including science.
Ms Sturgeon thanked Mr Russell, who had served as education secretary since 2009, for his “sterling work in government”.
Under his watch the Scottish National Party administration maintained its policy of free higher education tuition and earlier this month Mr Russell unveiled proposals for a new higher education bill.
This would implement key recommendations of the review of governance led by Ferdinand von Prondzynski, principal of Robert Gordon University, and would require university courts to have elected chairs and to include staff and student representatives.
Angela Constance represents the Almond Valley Constituency in West Lothian where she was born, raised and educated. She entered the Scottish Parliament following the election on 5 May 2011, having previously represented the Livingston constituency between 2007-11.
Before her election Ms Constance worked as a social worker / mental health officer and was a local councillor in Livingston. She is the mother of one son and says she enjoys immensely the challenges of motherhood and politics. She lists her personal interests as jogging, fun runs and marathons.
A recent, former SRC President, James Harrison, tweeted: "One of my predecessors as @gusrc President is now Cabinet Secretary for Education & Lifelong Learning! Congrats."
First published: 23 November 2014
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