Hansard

On 14 August, almost all Scotland's school exams candidates received accurate certificates of their examination results.

The fact that I am able to make that simple declaration today represents a great step forward. I know that members will join me in thanking the chairman of the Scottish Qualifications Authority, John Ward, the board, Bill Morton and all the staff at the SQA, and the teachers and staff throughout Scotland's schools, colleges and local authorities for all their hard work. The Education, Culture and Sport Committee and the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee helped to build consensus on the way forward, which has been of immense value in turning the organisation around. Nicol Stephen and the ministerial review group provided the scrutiny and transparency needed month after month.

Personally, and on behalf of members, I would also like to thank the many civil servants in our own education department who helped deliver this year's success. I want to highlight the role of Colin MacLean. Not many people would have accepted without hesitation the role of national exam co-ordinator. He was brave and committed when his experience and abilities were needed. I am sure that we are all grateful that he said yes.

However, I know that members will agree that, in reality, this year's timely delivery of accurate certificates simply represents a return to an acceptable standard of performance. Scotland's students have a right to expect that the country's exams system will provide them with a certificate for their hard work. They were let down badly last year. I am determined that they should not be let down again. That is why we have quickly completed a review of the current status of the SQA. A report of that review is published today. In my statement, I will describe briefly the outcome of the 2001 exams round, before outlining my decisions for the future.

At this time last year, more than 16,000 individual candidates had been affected by late or inaccurate certificates. Approximately 40,000 appeals had been submitted. The SQA was in total disarray and some said that the system was so fundamentally flawed that it was beyond recovery.

Thanks to the hard work of many people, on 14 August almost all Scotland's candidates received accurate certificates of their results. That might represent a significant improvement on the standards achieved before 2000. Those candidates who did not receive their certificates had immediate access to assistance from their schools and colleges, and from SQA helplines. Even better, the SQA was already aware of and working to resolve many of the queries.

The first success came on 4 August, when the SQA provided the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service with details of the results of over 19,000 university and college applicants from Scotland, three days ahead of schedule.

On 10 August, electronic statements of results were delivered to all the schools and colleges that could use them. That gave staff an early opportunity to prepare for the return of their students for the new term. Those statements were confirmed by delivery of hard copies to all schools and colleges on 13 August. The preparations by staff meant that the candidates who had queries about their results—a small minority—were able to approach their centres and the dedicated helplines that the SQA had set up for advice.

The SQA is working hard to resolve any remaining queries and to process appeals from those candidates whose performance on the day did not live up to expectations. I am pleased to report that the number of appeals received so far has fallen by 31 per cent, which indicates an encouraging confidence in the results awarded.

With the 2001 exams round almost complete, it is time to look to the future. Thanks to the efforts of the Parliament's committees, much of the work of consulting stakeholders in the process has been done and there is already consensus on the issues that need to be examined. We must reform the SQA and improve the implementation of national qualifications.

The review of the initial implementation of new national qualifications indicated that changes are required to make assessments by teachers more effective and focused, and to reduce unnecessary duplication of effort. I am determined to ensure that unnecessary administrative burdens associated with assessment are reduced. The national qualifications task group is advancing that issue as a priority. A sub-group to review English and communication is under way, as are SQA reviews of the larger uptakes.

A consultation document on radical changes to assessment models within the new qualifications will be published soon. The document will outline two models, although consultees will be free to propose any other suggestions. We will ensure that the implications of any changes are fully thought through before decisions are taken or changes implemented.

Scotland needs an effective and reliable awarding body that is independent of political interference and which delivers a rational and coherent awards system. Abolishing the SQA is not a credible option, nor is it an option to transfer the authority's functions to the Executive. It is important that the provider of Scotland's qualifications is seen to be independent of political pressures.

The priorities that led to the creation of a single national awarding body, the promotion of parity of esteem between vocational and academic qualifications and the creation of a coherent and integrated national qualifications framework remain key objectives for us all. It would therefore not be appropriate to break up the SQA.

Two main options were compared in detail. Although the transfer of the organisation to agency status would provide more direct lines of accountability and responsibility to ministers in respect of the SQA's functions, that would bring problems of its own. Neither of the Parliament's committee inquiries into the SQA recommended that the organisation's governance model be altered radically. Indeed, the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee specifically rejected agency status.

The keys to successful delivery of the SQA's functions will be effective management and improved communications. The pressures and concerns experienced by all those involved even in this year's broadly successful process make it clear that a great deal remains to be done. That work is best done against a background of stability. The inevitable disruption associated with any radical change of status would be an unacceptable distraction, which could put delivery of next year's exams at risk. I do not believe that such a risk is justified when confidence in Scottish education as a whole is at stake.

Therefore, I have decided that the SQA will be retained as an Executive non-departmental public body, but only on the basis that we must have reform of the board, effective stakeholder involvement and measures to secure permanent improvements to management and organisation.

I will improve the monitoring of the SQA and put in place arrangements to improve its accountability to ministers and stakeholders. All that will require legislation, and my ministerial colleagues have agreed that I should produce detailed plans as soon as possible.

In line with the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee's recommendation, the SQA board will be reduced to between seven and nine members. Members will be appointed by ministers and will be provided with appropriate induction and training. As recommended by the committee, an advisory body will be created, with representatives of all the stakeholders in Scottish education. That body will provide opinion and advice on qualifications and education matters, which will ensure that the SQA board focuses on governance and management. It will also allow key stakeholders an opportunity to give informed advice and comment to the SQA and ministers without the constraints that membership of the board and, therefore, shared statutory responsibility for its decisions, must impose.

The 2001 exams round has been successful, but there must be no complacency about the future. I will continue to monitor carefully the SQA's performance, and the Executive will work closely with the SQA to support it in improving its own effectiveness and continued successful delivery for 2002. The SQA's management statement and financial memorandum will be redrafted, making clear the relative roles and responsibilities of the SQA and the Executive, while setting clear priorities and objectives for the SQA. I share the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee's concerns about the need for accurate management information, therefore I will also require a rigorous annual planning process, setting out the SQA's plans for delivering the exam round and other qualifications priorities each year, with agreed monitoring arrangements against those plans.

I have emphasised the importance of effective management. The process of appointing a new chief executive for the SQA is already under way, and we have begun the recruitment process for a chair and a number of other board members, because many of the current board are due to relinquish their posts in December. Following today's announcements, I will quickly review the appointments that are required and take action to secure stability and the new organisation that we want to be in place.

The successful delivery of results to Scotland's young people this summer showed that the system can, and will, work when it is managed effectively. However, the system is far from perfect and a great deal remains to be done to improve its effectiveness and to reduce the burdens on schools, candidates and the SQA. The package of measures that I have outlined today will provide the SQA, and the system as a whole, with the best possible opportunity to get back on track for the long term and will continue to restore confidence in the system. Scotland's students deserve nothing less than the best qualifications system that we can possibly provide, and I am convinced that the measures will help deliver that.

One year ago, the low point in the morale and reputation of our once-proud Scottish education system was reached. In August, we began the renewal that was required, but that was only a beginning. Simplifying the system and permanently improving the management are now our immediate goals. By tackling them, together, we can make our education system the envy of the world again.