Writers pen parliament petition

Scotland's national poet Edwin Morgan is supporting the petition

A call is to be made for Scottish literature, history and language to be studied at every level of education.

A 500-strong group of writers is to petition the Scottish Parliament for a review of current study arrangements, which it believes are "inadequate".

The group includes Scotland's national poet Edwin Morgan and is backed by a further 500 literary professionals.

The petition will be handed into the parliament on Wednesday, 30 November - St Andrew's Day.

Principal petitioner Donald Smith, convener of the Literature Forum for Scotland, said every citizen of Scotland was entitled to the opportunity to learn about Scotland's literature and history.

Without such knowledge, he added, people could lack the confidence to relate both to their own and to other cultures in a balanced and self-critical way.

We need to decide what is the interpretation of Scottishness that we want to take forward? Donald Smith Literature Forum for Scotland

Speaking to BBC Scotland's news website, he said: "If we are going to have a valid cultural distinctiveness, it has to be grounded on a natural understanding of what our history and literature is."

Mr Smith was also proud of the 1,000-strong signatures that the petition had attracted.

He said: "I have really been surprised by the breadth and strength of support for this. I think people do feel there is a lack of strategic clarity over this issue.

"We need to decide what is the interpretation of Scottishness that we want to take forward? The Scottish Parliament is in a very unique position to do that."

The formal petition reads: "Recognising that critical self-awareness of Scottish history, literature and languages is vital to a confident, successful and outward-looking Scotland, we submit that the present arrangements for the study of these disciplines at primary, secondary and tertiary levels are inadequate.

"We request that they be reviewed and effective frameworks established to ensure that all citizens of Scotland have the opportunity to understand these key aspects of their own society and culture."