An SNP MSP has been criticised after she argued that closing the poverty-related attainment gap in Scots schools may be "impossible".
Patricia Gibson made the claim during an Education Committee meeting at Holyrood following the publication of the global Pisa report on learning standards, which found pupils aged 15 from north of the Border are performing "significantly below" their peers in England.
Mairi McAllan, the Education Secretary, faced committee members yesterday after the SNP Government was accused of overseeing a steep decline in standards after secondary schools slid further down the world rankings for core subjects.
First Minister's ambition questioned
John Swinney has repeatedly said he wants to eradicate the attainment gap completely, which sees children from the poorest backgrounds falling behind at school those from the wealthiest families.
But Gibson argued the landmark ambition may be "impossible" as "children are starting from very different standpoints".
Scottish Greens respond
Laura Moodie, Scottish Greens education spokeswoman, criticised Gibson's claim.
She said: "These comments made are completely at odds with what the Scottish Government's position on the attainment gap is supposed to be.
"But by reversing free school meals for 6,000 S1-3 pupils and dragging their feet on the expansion of childcare to more families, the Government have sadly shown that they have no real ambition to deliver for pupils and close the attainment gap.
"The Scottish Greens will always continue to stand up for Scotland's young people ensuring that everyone has the best start to life that they deserve."
Gibson's challenge to McAllan
Gibson asked McAllan: "We hear successive Cabinet Secretaries, and members of the Government, talking about closing the attainment gap. What do you say to the argument that it is really difficult - some would say impossible - to close the attainment gap?
The Cunninghame South MSP continued: "Although the ambition to narrow it is one that everyone should strive for, it's impossible to close it, because children are starting from very different standpoints - despite Government mitigation, and the good work that's done to equal the playing field.
"Some children have got very difficult home lives, some children have got very supportive parents, some children have got much more chaotic home lives. Do you think it's possible to close the attainment gap, considering the vastly different circumstances children can be born into?"
McAllan responded: "I don't underestimate the vastly different circumstances a child can be born into, or experience as life goes on.
"But the First Minister placed the eradication of child poverty as a principle objective of our Government. It's not to reduce it, it's not to tinker around the edges of it, it's to eradicate it.
"So I take my lead from the First Minister in that regard. And I do commit to closing the attainment gap, as difficult as it may be."
