Chants of "no classist SQA" and "what do we want? Fair grades" were heard from Glasgow's George Square as school pupils gathered this morning.
Over 100 youngsters turned up in Glasgow in protest of the "unfair" marking system imposed by the SQA.
School pupils from across the country, some travelling for hours to attend, stood together in anger over the exam marks which resulted in many being significantly downgraded from the grades they were predicted to achieve by teachers and had achieved in prelims.
The crowd chanted "the students united will never be defeated" as speakers including school girl organiser Erin Bleakley and Scottish Greens convenor Patrick Harvey addressed the crowds.
Students are calling for grades to be reverted back to those decided by teachers after the exam board's moderation system disproportionately effected students from more deprived backgrounds.
The coronavirus pandemic led to the cancellation of exams in all schools, with teachers asked to assess the grades to be awarded to their pupils.
But the Higher pass rate for pupils from more deprived backgrounds was reduced by 15.2 per cent from estimates after the exam board’s moderation.
The pass rate for pupils from the wealthiest backgrounds dropped by just 6.9 per cent.
Shannon Ritchie arrived all the way from Fraserburgh with three friends after getting the bus to Glasgow at 4am.
She told the Daily Record: "I have been fixated on studying medicine since I was a child and always knew the odds were against me, being from a deprived school.
"I got all As through the years and I woke up in Tuesday morning to 4 Bs and an A and my dreams were crushed.
"I will appeal but I do not think I should have to appeal just because of where I am from."
