Cole-Hamilton challenges FM over declining educational performance

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has today pressed the Scottish Government over declining performance in international education rankings at First Minister's Questions.

Mr Cole-Hamilton said:

"Scotland's place in this week’s international education rankings is the worst on record and the SNP are squandering the once proud global advantage that Scotland held in education. 

"What that means is that the high-wage, high-skill jobs of the future will go elsewhere while we get left behind.

"Education is half of what councils do, but this government is pushing them towards the brink of bankruptcy.

"We've just heard that every promise made: Class sizes, laptops, the attainment gap – you name it, the SNP have broken it.

"There are young people leaving school this year who have only ever lived under the SNP.

"So here’s a maths problem for the First Minister that will reveal the full extent of the trajectory of decline. In the education rankings the year before the SNP came to power, Scotland was awarded 506 points. This year it was awarded 471. Which is better?"