Exams injustice shames Sturgeon

A RIGHTEOUS anger is growing across Scotland about the school exam results that left talented pupils downgraded because they didn’t live in posh enough postcodes.

That anger could be heard in George Square yesterday as pupils gathered to protest against the injustice of the aggregated results system that left teenagers from poorer backgrounds twice as likely to have grades pegged back.

This exams fiasco has focused attention on something that has been festering for many years – the lifelong, stubborn attainment gap between pupils from poorer areas of Scotland and those from richer households.

Nicola Sturgeon asked for her premiership to be judged on closing that gap. In defending a system that has seen the children facing the greatest hardships suffer the greatest detriment, she has failed by her own measure.

Closing the attainment gap in not a one-term wonder. In Scotland it should, along with health, have been a mission for all parties.

This is an issue of political will as well as an educational and political fiasco.

We have praised the First Minister for her handling of the corona pandemic – in stark contrast to the idiocy coming from Boris Johnson in 10 Downing Street.

But simply telling children to appeal their results and hope for the best, as Sturgeon has done, is not good enough.

As reported in the Daily Record today, some children may not hear the results of their appeals until next May.

That is why the First Minister must step in now and announce that any child who appeals will automatically revert to their prelim results.

No child should face downgrading because their school has performed poorly in the past.

If she steps in and takes swift action, the parents of Scotland will thank her for it.

If she dithers, many will never forgive the SNP Government for ruining the life chances of thousands of young people.