Scottish Conservative party leader Douglas Ross MP has said that the SNP Government should give pupils every chance to succeed and change the rules on grades this year.

Douglas has said pupils this year should be allowed to choose to take their existing result, or sit exams this coming autumn or receive their prelim grade.

He added that students waiting for clarity on exam results to take up university offers should be prioritised so they are not held back any longer. 

In his first statement as leader yesterday, Douglas already called for the Scottish Government to “ensure the appeals process is accelerated.”

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said: “Pupils, parents and teachers have contacted me to say they feel let down by what has happened and the lack of solutions that have been proposed.

“In light of the exceptional circumstances of the last academic year, it is only fair that pupils are given every single chance to succeed.

“We should allow pupils far more flexibility and give all pupils – no matter their background – every opportunity to get the grades they deserve.

“Pupils have already earned their prelim grades and if they are determined enough to want to sit the exam later this year, they should be encouraged to do so in order to give themselves the best possible future, with those waiting on university places receiving first priority.

“The futures of an entire year group of young Scots are in the balance.  It’s not just their exam results that have been downgraded, but their life chances.  That cannot be allowed to stand.”

Scottish Conservative education spokesperson, Jamie Greene, said: “John Swinney’s full focus must be on urgently fixing this mess.

“The Aberdeen lockdown clearly requires the SNP Government’s attention but that cannot come at the expense of pupils who have been so badly failed.

“The education secretary must get on top of this and leave the management of the local lockdown in Aberdeen to his colleagues.”