Moray MP Douglas Ross has slammed the SNP-Green government for continuing to preside over a “shameful” decline in Scottish education.
Douglas’ scathing criticism comes following the publication of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) report which measures standards among nearly 700,000 pupils worldwide.
The findings for 2022 show that Scotland’s score in maths and science are at their worst ever levels, having fallen in every PISA survey.
While Scotland’s reading performance was higher than the OECD average, it fell compared to the score recorded in 2018 – and like in maths and science – the performance in Scotland was significantly worse than in England.
Douglas says the findings are a “damning indictment” of the SNP’s mismanagement of Scotland’s education system during their 16 years in power.
He added that the performance among Scottish pupils “flies in the face” of Nicola Sturgeon’s insistence that education was her – and the SNP Government’s top priority.
Douglas called on the SNP to take responsibility for their “abject failures” on an issue that they are wholly responsible for.
Moray MP Douglas Ross said: “The PISA findings are a damning indictment of the SNP’s mismanagement of Scotland’s education system during their 16 years in power.
“Our education system was once world-renowned but on the SNP’s watch, scores in subjects like maths and science have plummeted.
“The fact that maths and science scores are now at their lowest ever level is shameful. The SNP are letting down pupils across Moray and we know from their failure to tackle the poverty-related attainment gap in our schools, it is pupils from the poorest backgrounds who will be suffering the most.
“That flies in the face of Nicola Sturgeon’s insistence that education would be her number one priority. These findings are part of her shocking legacy from her time as First Minister, that is being continued by Humza Yousaf.
“The SNP’s record on education is one of abject failure and they continue to let down pupils, parents and staff in Moray and across Scotland at every turn. They have nobody to blame but themselves and must take full responsibility for their abysmal record on this issue that has let down so many young people over the years.
"If they don’t wake up to this issue and change things, more pupils in Moray and across Scotland will pay the price.”