Exam results: pass rate drops across the north-east
National 5 and Higher results are at their lowest since 2019
Aberdeen and Shire has seen the lowest pass rates in National 5s and Highers since 2019.
This comes as over 140,000 pupils across Scotland receive their exam results from the Scottish Qualifications Agency today.
This year, the number of entries for National 5s increased by 3.6% and Highers by 1.9%.
Despite this, the number of pupils passing their exams has dropped to pre-pandemic levels.
78.8% of students that sat a National 5 exam, and 77.1% that sat a Higher, attained an A to C award.
This is down from last years figures of 80.8% and 78.9%.
Scottish Conservative shadow education secretary and north-east MSP Liam Kerr said: “It’s especially positive to see an increase in the number of Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire pupils sitting their Higher exams.
“But it is concerning that the pass rate for National 5s and Highers in the north-east has gone down from last year and in turn we have seen a rise in no awards across the region for pupils sitting these exams."
Mr Kerr believes the results directly reflect a lack of funding and the poverty-driven attainment gap.
He said: “Both the Scottish Government and councils must now work together to identify what can be done in the future to increase the number of passes at these levels.
“The widening of the attainment gap nationally continues to be a badge of shame for the First Minister after 16 years of government and we can’t ignore this failure of the SNP to support children from the most deprived parts of Scotland.”
However, education secretary Jenny Gilruth insists that this is not the case.
She said: "While we know that the pandemic has disproportionately impacted young people from more disadvantaged backgrounds, these results show that the gap in attainment levels between the least and most deprived areas remains narrower than it was in 2019.
"We are determined to build on the progress that has been made and we are investing a record £1 billion in the Scottish Attainment Challenge during this parliamentary term."
For anyone seeking help regarding their results, the SQA advice line is open from 8am to 6pm on 0345 279 1000