SNP ditches world-recognised 'Bac' promised in manifesto

Published on Monday 6 September 2010 18:04

Plans to introduce the widely recognised International Baccalaureate in Scottish schools have been dropped despite an SNP election manifesto pledge.

The Scottish Government has swept the promise under the carpet after low uptake of its own version of the qualification, the Scottish Baccalaureate.

Instead, the SNP administration said it would be focusing on convincing universities of the merits of its own qualification.

The SNP's election manifesto pledge said: "We will examine the case for introducing the International Baccalaureate."

However, the government admitted it had made no moves to introduce it.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: "Demand in Scotland for the International Baccalaureate remains limited, although ministers will keep this under review.

"We are currently focused on promoting the Scottish Baccalaureates, including engaging with universities and looking at expansion of the Baccalaureates into other subject areas."

The party's election manifesto promised to introduce a Scottish Baccalaureate to recognise high achievement in science and languages.

However, many pupils withdrew last year after it emerged a Scottish Baccalaureate would not help them get a place at university.

Only 108 pupils gained the qualification last month, with just 19 achieving the languages version.

A major blow to the Scottish Government came when Scotland's top performing school in Highers ditched the qualification. George Heriot's, in Edinburgh, said the Scottish Baccalaureate was costly, time-consuming and, crucially, not recognised by universities.

Heriot's headmaster Alistair Hector said: "There are issues to do with methodology and they don't have currency with universities, so there is the question, 'What is the value added?'"

Education secretary Michael Russell revealed last month he was in talks with Scottish universities over recognising the qualifications as part of entrance requirements.

It is understood no university has made an offer of a place based on the new certificate.

However, increasing numbers of private schools are investigating the International Baccalaureate, which is recognised by universities around the world.

Labour education spokesman Des McNulty said: "Yet again the SNP has been exposed for failing to deliver in government on promises they made in opposition.

"Ministers have made no progress whatsoever on the introduction of the International Baccalaureate in Scottish schools."

Ronnie Smith, general secretary of the EIS, said: "The fact that so few schools and pupils have expressed an interest in the Baccalaureate, be it the existing Scottish version or the possibility of the international version, suggests teachers and pupils are more concerned with the challenges of Curriculum for Excellence and the lack of clear information on how its new associated qualifications will look."The Baccalaureate, which is currently being ignored by many universities and employers, is not a priority for Scottish schools."

How Baccalaureates differ:

THE International Baccalaureate is recognised by universities around the world, including the UK's top institutions.

The two-year course is an alternative to Highers and Advanced Highers, or A-levels. Pupils choose six subjects offering more breadth than conventionally possible. Maths and English are compulsory and there must be community service undertaken, plus a 4,000-word extended essay - an element borrowed by the new Scottish Baccalaureates in science and languages.

The Scottish qualification was created last year by the Scottish Government to recognise high achievement in languages and science.

It is made up of a minimum of two Highers and an Advanced Higher plus an interdisciplinary project.