The Education Secretary has said Scotland must step up the pace of change in education following Labour warnings that attainment has “gone backwards” under the SNP.
Angela Constance said the Scottish Government is investing £100 million in a national attainment fund, following a report which found reading standards among eight and nine-year-olds in Scotland have fallen by 5% since 2012.
Labour economy spokeswoman Jackie Baillie said literacy levels have fallen at every stage in primary and secondary school, and said the SNP “cannot avoid taking responsibility for its own failings”.
Speaking at a Labour-led debate in Holyrood, Ms Baillie said: “Despite having full control of education for nearly a decade, the SNP’s track record on it – especially on attainment – is a national scandal.
“The Cabinet secretary admitted that the Scottish Government should be doing much better in education, and we will work with her to improve education in Scotland.
“But as the First Minister herself has said, a party in its second term in office cannot avoid taking responsibility for its own failings.
“In educational attainment the failings are severe. We are failing our young people as a consequence.”
She added: “Under the SNP we have seen literacy levels in primary and secondary school fall at every stage. These are the Government’s own figures.
“Under this SNP Government, Scotland’s children, especially those from the most deprived backgrounds, are not getting even the most basic of skills.
“Our children’s ability to read, write and count has all gone backward under the SNP.”
Ms Constance said: “The results this year on literacy certainly do show that we need to step up the pace of change.
“That is why this Government has made its key focus of our programme for government to close the attainment gap so that every child in every community gets every chance to succeed in school and in life.
“Therefore, we are investing £100 million through a national attainment fund over four years targeting support at authorities with the most deprived communities, providing schools with greater access to expertise and resources.”