Nicola Sturgeon has been accused of “leaving parents in the dark” over the standard of maths education across the country.
An Education Committee report has warned there will be a five-year gap in data in relation to the numeracy skills of Scotland’s pupils.
It follows the SNP government cancelling the surveys which previously analysed the mathematics ability of youngsters.
At First Minister’s Questions today, Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said parents “deserve to know what’s happening in our schools”.
However, Ms Sturgeon rejected the claims, instead pointing to other education measures not relating to numeracy.
That’s despite the conclusions of Holyrood’s Education Committee, which stated: “No meaningful conclusions on upward or downward trends can be reached, at a time of reform within Scottish education.”
And her own deputy and education secretary, John Swinney, admitted a “good grasp” was needed on trends in relation to numeracy.
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said:
“The SNP simply doesn’t get this.
“If you are a mum of a seven-year-old now, you’re not going to know until your child is a teenager whether or not this country is getting any better at teaching maths.
“That’s because the survey which analyses this was cancelled by the SNP government, after it showed standards were dropping and the nationalists got the blame.
“Now parents have no idea if standards are going up or down.
“Education is going backwards under this SNP government, which has had full control of the issue for 12 years now.
“The SNP is leaving parents in the dark, and that’s completely inexcusable.”
