Question reference: S5W-33901
- Asked by: Iain Gray, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 8 December 2020
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Current status: Answered by John Swinney on 22 December 2020
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what criteria it will use to determine whether the 2021 exam diet will go ahead.
Answer
On 7 October, I announced that National 5 exams would be cancelled in 2020-21 and I was clear that a decision on the Higher and Advanced Higher exam diet was subject to it being both safe and fair for all learners.
Subsequently, on 8 December, I outlined to Parliament that Higher and Advanced Higher exams should no longer proceed in 2021 in light of continuing disruption to some young people’s education caused by Covid-19.
The decision to cancel all exams this year took account of the wide range of views submitted by a range a stakeholders, including learners. It also acknowledges that there have been varied levels of absences and disruption to learning, particularly for those in our poorest communities, and we cannot guarantee that there will be no further unavoidable disruption. Importantly, the decision provides clarity to learners, parents and carers, teachers and lecturers and is the safest and fairest way to ensure that pupils’ achievements can be recognised.