Democrat reporter
Scottish Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth appeared on Good Morning Scotland and was asked about whether the SNP would be able to close the attainment gap by 2026.
Q: “How do you think you’re getting on in terms of the attainment gap? The First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, first pledged to close that gap at an SNP conference in 2015, it was part of the Programme for Government in 2016. It’s supposed to be achieved by next year and yet last year again it was as wide as it’s ever been.”
JG: “Well look, I think I alluded in my previous response to some of the progress we’re starting to see in our primary schools. So, those levels of literacy and numeracy in primary and secondary schools at record high. We’ve also seen, as I alluded to, a record low poverty-related attainment gap in primary school literacy, and in S3 literacy and numeracy. There’s also been really strong progress made on widening access to higher education, and I think that’s hugely important, but I think we really need to focus more in terms of what we’re able to do to close the gap, we need to be mindful, as I alluded to previously, that this is a generation of course who lived through the Covid pandemic.”
Q: “Can it be done by next year?”
JG: “We’re also seeing of course the impact of austerity in Scotland’s schools which is harming some of Scotland’s most vulnerable young people and their families. I’m mindful of that context right across the UK. We’ve heard from the Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson in England, she’s spoken about the impact of Covid lockdowns casting a long shadow over the life chances of the youngest children.”
Q: “So, do you think that pledge from 2016 can be met next year?”
JG: “Well look, I’m here today to talk to you about the exam results, I’ve spoken to some of the progress, and I’m absolutely committed to our continued work to close the attainment gap, but I am in no way shirking away from the challenge we’ve seen in terms of the Covid pandemic and austerity in our schools.”