Scotland’s national qualifications and inspection bodies are in need of “substantial reform” because they are not fit for purpose, MSPs have said.
Opposition parties joined forces to vote by 65 to 58 in favour this evening of reform of both the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and Education Scotland, which would include the splitting of the latter’s dual inspection and curriculum-development roles.
The Scottish Parliament vote was prompted by the performance of both organisations during the Covid crisis, although some MSPs underlined that many teachers had expressed dissatisfaction long before the pandemic.
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The debate this afternoon, led by Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie, was based on the belief that “the support, services and decision-making provided by Education Scotland and the SQA have not met the expectations or requirements of hardworking teachers, pupils or parents throughout the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic”.
‘Serious concerns’ about the SQA and Education Scotland
The Lib Dems also underlined that “serious concerns existed about the performance and structure of these organisations for years before the pandemic struck [and the party] considers that there is compelling evidence that neither body is fit for purpose and that they have lost the confidence of teachers, pupils and parents, and therefore calls for substantial reform as part of the recovery of education”.
Lib Dem call for “substantial reform” of SQA and Education Scotland has now started in @ScotParl. Already. @willie_rennie has taken aim at SQA for having “concocted an algorithm” for qualifications during Covid that put poorer pupils at a disadvantage and...
- Henry Hepburn (@Henry_Hepburn) February 17, 2021
As well as separating Education Scotland’s inspection and policy functions, MSPs called for the SQA to be “more accountable” and have better representation from the teaching profession in its ranks.
MSPs also expressed “concern about the reported involvement of both organisations and the Scottish government in the ongoing OECD [Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development] review”, and - after an amendment by the Conservatives - called on the Scottish government “to immediately release any findings already reportedly delivered to the Scottish ministers by the OECD”.
Opening the debate, Mr Rennie said the SQA had, during Covid, “concocted an algorithm” for qualifications that put poorer students at a disadvantage, while Education Scotland had “totally abandoned” teachers when they needed support most.
Education secretary John Swinney hit back at what he described as Mr Rennie’s “gratuitous and unfounded” attacks on the people who worked for bodies such as Education Scotland and the SQA. He said they did not deserve the “pathetic” and “shabby” criticism from the Liberal Democrats.
Mr Rennie said: “It’s a characteristic of this government that whenever they’re under attack, they always use public servants to defend their policy failures.”
Scottish Greens education spokesperson Ross Greer said that the SQA was seen by the teaching profession not as a source of support but as an “antagonist”, recalling the “scandal” of the grading process last year. He also called once again for resignations from the SQA board.
Mr Greer said there was an “ivory tower” attitude at both education agencies, adding: “For Education Scotland and the SQA, the time’s up. Scotland’s pupils, teachers and the public at large deserve so much better than what these agencies have delivered.”
Scottish Labour’s Iain Gray said both the SQA and Education Scotland had been “missing in action” during the pandemic.
SNP MSP Rona Mackay, while acknowledging “unacceptable” problems over the past year of the coronavirus pandemic, said opposition parties’ approach today was unhelpful and “extreme”.
