Appeals ‘could take 9 months’
FROM PAGE ONE at a rally in Glasgow vented their anger over downgraded results, which disproportionately affected pupils from poorer communities.
Sturgeon yesterday continued to defend the regime brought in to deal with the impact of coronavirus on schools, but admitted pupils are “entitled to be angry”.
The First Minister urged them to use the free appeals process to root out injustices – which could swamp the Scottish Qualifications Authority with 124,000 review applications.
Scottish Labour education spokesman Iain Gray revealed a timetable from the SQA’s internal website set out a deadline of May 2021 for reviews to be concluded.
He said: “The SQA created this mess and the SNP Government has entrusted them to sort it out – but all we have seen is shambles upon shambles.
“To throw young people’s life chances into doubt is a disgrace, but to then make them wait nine months for justice is a total insult.”
Gray called on John Swinney to resign.
Labour will lay a motion of no confidence at Holyrood and seek opposition support to increase pressure on the Education Secretary.
Greens education spokesman Ross Greer said: “This unacceptable situation must be resolved at once.”
He backed calls for a
“no detriment” review, which would allow automatic appeals so affected pupils would be upgraded to their prelim results.
Erin Bleakley, who led the protest in Glasgow, said: “I’m going into S6 and it’s going to be really hard for me to try to take advanced higher chemistry when I don’t even know if my appeal for higher has been accepted.”
Last night, the SQA said priority appeals for pupils waiting for higher education places will be sent out by September 4.
A spokesperson added: “There is no nine-month wait for grades. We are committed to processing all appeals as quickly as possible.
“We will provide a date for all other reviews shortly after August 21.”
Responding to the call for Swinney to go, a spokesman for Sturgeon said: “John Swinney is absolutely committed to listening to the concerns of those who feel let down by this week’s results.
“In the meantime, it is important that the appeals process is allowed to proceed.”