To be or not to be on schools’ teaching syllabus – that is the question.
Despite being widely seen as the greatest writer in the history of the English language, the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) has decided William Shakespeare may no longer have a part to play in the Scottish curriculum.
In a bid to shake up the study texts for English courses, the SQA has told teachers they can drop Shakespeare in favour of Scottish poets and writers, even though the Bard of Avon is credited with enriching the language with more than 1,700 words and phrases still in use today.
His canon remains mandatory in schools south of the Border, but there is no requirement for those sitting English exams at the age of 15 upwards in Scotland to study his texts, with the SQA only specifying works by Scottish poets and writers.
It is now at the discretion of teachers and secondary schools whether they want to introduce pupils to plays such as Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, and Hamlet.
The decision to mandate Scottish writers was introduced a decade ago by the SNP government along with its controversial Curriculum for Excellence.
The list of set Scottish texts, from which teachers must choose, has been updated twice.
The latest consultation added Duck Feet, written by Ely Percy in working-class Scottish vernacular and the Gaelic language play Sequamur, about schoolboys encouraged to fight in the First World War. Some Robert Burns poetry is also included in the selection.
Emma Bratchell of the SQA denied there was a deliberate move away from Shakespeare but told the Sunday Times it was common across the world for students to be exposed to the literature of their country.
She said: ‘There was a desire to shine a light on Scottish writing and writing that had not been focused on so much.’
But Dr José Pérez Díez of the British Shakespeare Society said: ‘We believe Shakespeare’s international cultural impact transcends parochial insularities and is one of the strongest cultural assets of the English language and its heritage.
‘We are therefore saddened and concerned that the SQA has decided to make the study of his work optional.’
Mike Corbett of teachers’ union NASUWT said ‘many if not most’ teachers will use Shakespeare, particularly Macbeth, which is loosely based on the story of the 11th century Scottish king.