SNP Introducing E Grades for Students?

Come on, it’s time to pack up and move to Scotland. Not only do Scottish students get their entire university degree paid for by the government, they could also be allowed to pass their National and Higher Examinations with a score of only 35%; a Grade E. Currently, they need around 45% for a D grade which is the lowest grade you can achieve and still pass your exam. What better way to help all students pass their exams than by just lowering the bar?

This proposition comes following an announcement of plans to change the way the Scottish Highers are assessed. In these plans, all coursework will be assessed externally and the final exam will be “strengthened”. This naturally sparked concern for the weaker pupils who may now be at risk of leaving school having failed all of their exams. Therefore, to balance out the harsh exam, a plan to lower the pass mark is probably not the worst idea but as critics of the idea have said, it is not wise to tamper with grade boundaries.

Lowering the grade boundary to as low as 35% could devalue the entire qualification especially as in England, Wales and Northern Ireland the amount needed to pass is usually a lot higher.

Iain Gray, a member of the Labour Party in the Scottish Parliament, described the scheme as “a panic measure”. He also claimed that, “ Every day of SNP mismanagement makes more of a dog’s breakfast of the exam system, so critical to our young peoples’ future.”