By Democrat reporter
Scottish Labour has renewed calls for “genuine reform” to education after the SNP government was forced to back down over a key amendment.
Today, during Stage 2 of the Education Bill, the Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth was forced to withdraw her amendment on the SQA’s functions in order to avoid a humiliating defeat.
Experts and opposition party MSPs have called for the SQA to be stripped of its accreditation functions in order to ensure the new qualifications body is subject to appropriate checks and balances.
The removal of accreditation powers from the SQA was a key recommendation of the Scottish Government’s independent advisor Professor Ken Muir, but the SNP has stubbornly refused to make this change in this bill.
However, the SNP’s attempt to kick this into the long grass with the promise of a review was withdrawn in the face of widespread opposition at Committee.
Scottish Labour has said the SNP must come back with a real plan to address this issue and deliver genuine reform by Stage 3 of the Bill.
The Education Committee is currently considering a remarkable 357 amendments to the SNP’s Education Bill, which Scottish Labour has criticised as a “shallow rebranding exercise”.
Scottish Labour Education spokesperson Pam Duncan-Glancy, pictured left, said “Scotland’s education system is in desperate need of reform, but what the SNP has come up with is simply a shallow rebranding exercise.
“That’s why Ministers were sent back to the drawing board today.
“The Education Committee was clear that the SNP’s attempt at reform was not fully thought out and merely proposed more delay, whilst leaving the SQA marking its own homework.
“It’s time for the SNP to listen to the experts, teachers and families and deliver the meaningful changes needed to rebuild trust in our broken education system.
“Scottish Labour will continue to work to make this Bill fit for purpose and give Scots the world-class education system they deserve.”