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Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
National
Dayna McAlpine

SQA Protest Edinburgh: students to gather outside Dalkeith headquarters today over exam results

Pupils from across Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife are staging a protest today outside the headquarters of the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) over downgraded exam results.

The action comes after it was revealed that the pass rate for pupils in the most deprived areas was reduced by 15.2% from teacher estimates after the national exam board's moderation.

Scots pupils had an exam-free academic year after schools were closed during the coronavirus pandemic and results were based upon prelims and coursework assessment.

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As a result, thousands of students from across Scotland had their exam results downgraded based on their school's historical performance.

In contrast, the pass rate for pupils from the most affluent backgrounds dropped by 6.9%.

Parents and pupils hit out on social media claiming they had been unfairly targeted because of their school's location, not their ability.

Nicola Sturgeon said that without the moderation, a 19.8% increase of the pass rate among the poorest fifth of pupils would have been "unprecedented and therefore not credible".

The event, named 'Protest Against the SQA's Classist System', is set to start at 1pm today (Friday 7 August) outside the exam board's headquarters in Danderhall, Dalkeith.

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