The SNP will never close Scotland’s education attainment gap while schools are short of teachers, the Scottish Conservatives have said.
Leader Ruth Davidson pointed to more than 500 vacancies in secondary school training places which are hampering efforts to help children from poorer areas.
It follows analysis which reveals huge gulfs in performance in schools depending on where they’re based.
At First Minister’s Questions today, Ruth said in schools where the vast majority of youngsters were from deprived areas, just 15 per cent achieved five Highers or more.
In contrast, she added, the equivalent pass rate was four times higher in schools where most were from wealthier parts.
The Scottish Government’s Attainment Fund and Pupil Equity Fund were created in a bid to close the attainment gap.
However, millions have been left unspent, while some schools have used the money on other initiatives not related to improving the performance of less fortunate children.
Across the country, there are now 3500 fewer teachers than when the SNP came to power.
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said:
“There are stark gaps in pupil attainment for rich and poor areas.
“If you attend a school where the vast majority are from a deprived background, there’s just a 15 per cent chance you’ll leave with five or more Highers.
“If that school is in a more affluent area, those chances increase four-fold.
“This is the SNP government’s stated number one priority, and progress isn’t anything like fast enough.
“The fundamental point is, if we’re going to properly cut the attainment gap, we need the teachers to do it.
“But this year alone there are more than 500 vacancies in secondary school training places.
“And if the money is not being released, if it is not going where it should, and the staff aren’t being recruited, this gap will never be closed.”