The Scottish Covid Inquiry is preparing to hear testimony from education officials regarding the 2020 exam grading controversy, a period when thousands of pupils had their results downgraded. The situation led to widespread student protests and a subsequent reversal of the grading decisions.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, exams were canceled for the first time in a century. In response, the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) developed an alternative certification model. However, in August 2020, the Scottish government instructed the SQA to revert any downgraded results to the grades predicted by teachers and practitioners.
One student, identified as Erin, recounted the distress of opening her exam results in August 2020. Despite expecting to study veterinary medicine after achieving A grades in her prelims for six Highers, she received three Bs, one C, and two Ds. "My legs buckled beneath me, I remember feeling I just couldn't believe this had happened," she said, adding that the results did not reflect her two years of study. This experience, which she described as horrific and unimaginable, was shared by many of her peers who also saw their grades fall below their predicted levels.
Erin organized a Facebook page and a protest in Glasgow's George Square, calling the situation a "systematic inequality." She later researched the algorithm used for grading and realized that students from deprived communities were disproportionately disadvantaged. This experience inspired her to pursue a PhD in environmental research and community work at the University of Glasgow, focusing on automated algorithms and their impact on lived experiences, particularly when decisions are based solely on statistics.
A spokesperson for the Scottish government stated that the COVID-19 pandemic created a unique and challenging educational environment. The government is a key participant in both the UK and Scottish Covid Inquiries and will closely follow all evidence presented. The new agency Qualifications Scotland, which replaced the SQA, is cooperating fully with the ongoing Scottish Covid-19 Inquiry.