SQA results: Exam director asked to resign as pass rate drops for Scotland’s poorest pupils

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The head of Scotland’s beleaguered examination body has been called to resign after a low pass rate for the poorest pupils.

SQA chief executive Fiona Robertson has twice previously failed to apologize for the disaster that saw 125,000 Scots downgraded last year after using a failed algorithm to calculate scores.

Teacher evaluations were used for 2021 results showing a lower pass rate for students sitting in Higher, Advanced, and 5 National exams this year compared to 2020.

Scottish Conservatives said that when comparing results from 2020 to 2021, students from the most disadvantaged areas – SIMD Q1 – were twice as likely to see their scores fall at the higher and advanced levels as higher than young people from the most affluent – SIMD Q5 – backgrounds.

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At the top level, the pass rate for SIMD Q1 pupils fell 2.5 percent year-over-year, compared to a drop of just 1.1 percent for SIMD Q5 pupils.

Conservative education spokesman Oliver Mondale said: “Congratulations to schoolchildren in Scotland who deserve so much praise for having struggled through another very difficult year.

“Despite the turmoil they faced, the SNP judged them more harshly than last year’s disciples, they warned us.

“Compared to last year, scores are lower across the board. The achievement gap is rising. That should set off alarm bells that this year’s system is just as flawed and unfair as the chaos the disciples experienced last year.

“But most important of all, students from poorer backgrounds are rated lower from 2020 to 2021. They are more likely to see lower grades in higher and higher applicants than children in more affluent regions, on an annual basis. .

“This is nothing short of a disgrace. It is clear that again, young people have been judged because of where they come from and where they go to school.

“The harsh reality is that the pupils who struggle the most—young men from poor backgrounds just trying to pass their exams, let alone get an A—are the hardest hit. How is that fair?

“The SNP must apologize for creating this shameful and deeply unjust system that has been marred by more of the same mistakes.

They misled the disciples and failed on several fronts. The SNP promised not to repeat the chaos of last year in which pupils were judged based on their background, promised not to take exams, and promised that teachers’ judgment “alone” would determine grades. These promises have not been broken.”

Beatrice Wishart, Lib Dem MSP, said: “Students were forced to take exams all but name, undergoing up to 16 assessments per week, and were crammed into without prior notice.

“SQA shifted workloads to teachers and gave them a precious little space to acknowledge that some of their students had missed months of schooling due to repeated periods of isolation or turmoil at home.

“The fact that the gap between the richest and the poorest has widened again makes the mockery of the SNP promises to close the achievement gap. The blame for this lies with the government and its education Kwangju.

“After years of putting their fingers in their ears, the Scottish government eventually recognized the SQA was not fit for purpose, but only after the Scottish Parliament backed the Liberal Democrats in a vote that increased pressure on ministers.

“With this year’s process coming to a close, and with the refusal to apologize repeatedly for last year’s disaster, Fiona Robertson must step aside and allow this reform to take place.”

Despite the low achievement rate, Education Secretary Shirley Ann Somerville described the results as “robust”, adding that they were “achieved under exceptional circumstances”.

The SNP Minister said: “It has been one of the most difficult academic years we have ever known, as the pandemic has posed major challenges for our youth.

“So the fact that so many learners have certificates and the number of successes at the higher and advanced level to be so high is just unbelievable.”

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