Genuine fakes

Published on 16/08/2012 00:00

The Scottish Qualifications Authority this year revamped Highers in physics, chemistry and biology to reflect significant changes in their fields of science.

Sadly, it allowed schools the option of taking exams based 
on the out-of-date syllabus and, unsurprisingly, some 34,000 pupils sat that, against 800 who took the new qualifications.

The main attempt to introduce some rigour into our national school exam system was the Scottish Baccalaureate but, tellingly, that has only attracted 180 pupils.

A Singapore street hawker once tried to sell me something looking like a Rolex watch which he claimed was a “genuine fake” – or perhaps it was a Scottish Higher.

(Dr) John Cameron

Howard Place

St Andrews