Exams are stressful - so young Scots deserve a decision on the future

In the coming weeks, it can be expected there will be much debate over the results emerging from this year’s exams.

On and after results day, August 6, headlines may focus on whether the pass rate has fallen back down to pre-pandemic levels, following a move away from the “generous” and then “sensitive” grading adopted in 2022 and 2023.

Then there is the question of whether or not the gap in attainment between pupils from the wealthiest and poorest areas has widened again, along with the political dispute that will inevitably follow if so.

Behind the statistics, it will be important to remember, however, that at the centre of it all is a generation of young people.

All the evidence, including figures published by The Scotsman today showing the rise in the number of learners requiring special arrangements during exams, suggests these year groups are increasingly struggling with anxiety and mental health pressures, as well as other additional needs.

These strains have only been made worse by the repeated interruptions these cohorts have suffered during their school days, as a result of a pandemic and industrial action.

Anxiety levels will only be heightened for some by other worrying trends in Scotland’s schools, such as the rise in violence and aggression, and bullying on social media. Then there is the impact of other factors that often spill into the classroom, such as the cost-of-living crisis.

Many of these things are interconnected, of course, and can not be solved easily.

Exams are another issue, however. Surveys of teachers make clear that stresses relating to such assessments are a pressure many pupils increasingly find troubling.

It would be relatively straightforward for the Scottish Government to reform the qualifications system. Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth has had proposals on her desk for more than a year, but a decision is still to be made.

One reason for the impasse may be that there has been little consensus on the best way forward, and there are many who continue to argue that exams are the fairest option available.

Most, however, appear to agree that something needs to change. Today’s younger generations deserve a decision, and to be put first, for once.