THE FUTURE of Glasgow’s young people should “trump party politics” according to Labour’s education spokeswomen who is supporting the decision to scrap the SQA.

Councillor Aileen McKenzie who presented a motion last week asking the council to write to the Scottish Government to demand an introduction of a no-detriment policy in the appeals process, says she didn’t have her “crystal ball” on her when she submitted the motion.

During her speech at last week’s full council meeting, which was cut short due to technical difficulties, Ms McKenzie also asked for the immediate establishment of an exceptional personal circumstances criteria for appeals.

Her motion was met with criticism from the SNP education convener councillor Chris Cunningham.

Mr Cunningham said: “We now know that following the publication of the OECD report, the Minister has decided that the SQA will be abolished, Education Scotland will be substantially reformed and school inspections will be conducted by an independent standalone body.

“We do not know what this year’s results look like. Provisional results are only going out this week. We do not therefore know whether the alternative model has succeeded in arriving at fair judgements of pupil learning.

“I believe it will be fair as I know that teachers care deeply about the future of their pupils and have been working to achieve the best for them. The main point however is that because we do not know what the results are, we do not know that there is, or will be, a crisis.

“We do know that Labour wants there to be a crisis. Crisis is the word that sums up this Labour motion. For Labour’s motion to make sense our young people have to fail and no amount of pious words to the contrary can change that.”

As the meeting was postponed because of IT issues Ms McKenzie was unable to respond to councillor Cunningham’s speech.

Ms McKenzie says she is disappointed that the didn’t get the chance to answer these points and that the Labour motion was submitted in good faith and before any announcements regarding the SQA were made or the review on Scotland’s exams system published by the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development).

She said: “Unfortunately I didn’t have my crystal ball on me that day.

“To even imply that Labour, and by proxy I, want there to be a crisis is as insulting as it is ridiculous, my party and I want only what is best and fair for our young people. To suggest otherwise is disingenuous to say the least.

“Finally, Cllr Cunningham makes multiple references to the suppressed OECD report. I don’t know if he has read the 180-page report, but I have, and it is a damning indictment of the SNP’s record in Government. As mentioned in my speech Labour welcome the move to accept the report’s recommendations in full and scrap the calamitous SQA.

“Young people’s futures should always trump party politics. ‘Judge me on education’ Nicola Sturgeon has been quoted saying. Well, the pupils, parents and school staff certainly will.”

Councillor Cunningham confirmed that he stands by his comments made in last Thursday’s address to full council.

He said: “If you don’t have a crystal ball don’t try and predict the exam results of young people prematurely.”