SORT THIS EXAM MESS NOW
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EXAM bosses were last night urged to sort out the results scandal by allowing pupils to get the grade they achieved in their prelim tests.
The Scottish Qualifications Authority is under pressure after downgrading 125,000 exam results using a system that penalised pupils from poorly performing schools.
Education Secretary John Swinney has been warned by Labour that his position will be “untenable” unless he gets a grip of the “unnecessary shambles”.
A plan to let pupils who appeal against their grading automatically revert to their prelim result was floated by opposition MSPs last night.
Green MSP Ross Greer said: “It’s time for the SQA and the Scottish Government to begin repairing the damage they have caused by adopting a no-detriment policy.
“The SQA and the Scottish Government were warned yet they pressed ahead with this scandalous grade moderation system, one that has clearly penalised thousands of young people simply for living in less well-off communities.
“A no-detriment policy might not solve all of the problems created by the SQA but it would see a significant number of young people be awarded a grade far closer to the one they deserve.
“I’ve been shocked by the messages from young people who achieved an A in their prelims but were then awarded C or even D grades by the SQA.”
The coronavirus pandemic led to the cancellation of this year’s exams for the first time in more than 100 years.
Results were determined by a combination of teacher judgment and the SQA’s controversial moderation scheme.
About a quarter of all results – 133,000 – were adjusted, with more than 90 per cent of these being changed downwards.
However, the moderation process
involved past attainment data from schools, which critics believe discriminated against kids from deprived areas.
The Higher pass rate for pupils from the poorest areas dropped by 15.2 per cent between teacher estimates and the final results, but only by 6.9 per cent for pupils in the most affluent areas.
Deputy First Minister Swinney and the SQA have faced a barrage of criticism over a system partly based on factors outside pupils’ control.
Swinney was warned his job is on the line if he does not sort out the crisis.
Labour MSP Iain Gray said: “The Deputy First Minister must commit to ensuring that the appeals process does not judge pupils by the same twisted criteria, otherwise the pupils from deprived backgrounds will continue to be marked down based on the past performance of their schools.
“In spite of calls from experts, parents, teachers and Scottish Labour, the SQA resisted publishing its marking scheme for this week’s results until it was too late to head off this totally unnecessary shambles.
“There will likewise be no confidence in the appeals system unless the SQA publishes appeals guidelines which make clear that this discriminatory framework has been abandoned.
“Unless he can ensure this happens and candidates can secure justice, the Deputy First Minister’s position will become untenable.”
Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie said: “The large readjustments imposed by the SQA have placed a magnifying glass over the failure to close that performance gap between the most and least deprived.
“This has shackled well-performing pupils in average schools by historical results over which they have had no control.”
Swinney previously defended the system by saying that overall pass rates had gone up for pupils from deprived backgrounds and the attainment gap had been reduced.
He said: “I think it has been fair.
It’s been fair in making sure that across the board we can see a consistency of the application of standards in the education system, so that young people in the class of 2020 can be confident that the qualifications they have achieved have got as much value as any other year of qualifications.”
However, although Swinney flagged up the appeals process, Rennie said the system “is likely to be overwhelmed” because of the numbers taking part.
He added: “The funding and the resource for the appeals process must be increased to meet the considerable demand.”
Swinney is expected to give a statement to Holyrood early next week.
Appeal funding must be increased to meet demand
WILLIE RENNIE LIB DEM LEADER ON ACTION NEEDED