Instead of ending Scotland’s slide down the PISA league table, it was revealed this week that the SNP has led Scotland to its worst ever ranking in reading, maths and science – moving below countries like Slovenia, New Zealand and other parts of the UK.
Former education secretary Angela Constance said in May last year.: “‘We know that we have halted the decline in our international standing in the PISA rankings.
Ms Constance, the current MSP for Almond Valley, also made claims as recently as January: “It was on Labour’s watch that we saw a decline in our international standing in accordance with the PISA. I emphasise to John Pentland that it took action by this Government to halt that decline.”
And it’s not just Ms Constance however who has been caught distorting the truth.
In 2014, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon wrongly claimed that the countries education standards were improving under her leadership, stating: “We have in the past seven years halted our decline in the PISA international league tables.”
The Scottish Conservatives said the statements from Ms Sturgeon and Ms Constance are a striking indication that we should treat whatever the SNP say about education with caution.
Shadow education secretary Liz Smith said the SNP had to start revealing Scotland’s educational performances in an honest and open manner, instead of stating false facts that brush the worrying results under the carpet in the hope of avoiding scrutiny.
Scottish Conservative shadow education secretary Liz Smith said:
“The SNP has been caught out yet again.
“Over the last decade there has been no evidence to prove that standards in schools are rising across the board, and this week’s figures in fact showed the opposite.
“Claims from previous education secretaries and the First Minister herself that the decline has been halted in light of the latest PISA results look very hollow.
“These previous reassurances which have come to nothing will mean parents simply don’t believe the Scottish Government when it says things are on the up.”