The Scottish Government was facing fresh criticism of its exam record last night as the country's young people received their exam results and figures showed a widening of the attainment gap.

This year's Higher pass rate is down from last year but does remain above 2019 levels, with figures from the Scottish Qualification Authority (SQA) showing attainment of A to C grades was 77.1%.

At National 5, the pass rate fell from 80.8% last year to 78.8% this year, having peaked at 89% in 2020.

The decline in pass rates was steeper in state schools than in private schools.

But Higher Education minister Graeme Dey countered that a record number of 18-year-olds from the most deprived areas have earned university places.

Mr Dey welcomed official figures showing a record number of young Scottish students secured a university place with a record number of those - 19,120 - aged 19 and under.

The vast majority of the 30,000 pupils going on to universities - some 29,220 - are going to Scottish universities, according to the figures from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

Mr Dey said: "[This figure] is above pre-pandemic levels and we also know this is likely to increase in the coming days and weeks as more applications are processed.

"Widening access is a priority for this government, so I was encouraged to see a record number of 18-year-olds from the most deprived areas getting into university.

“Although applications have fallen, we know this is largely as a result of a decrease in more mature students who may be taking advantage of the buoyant jobs market and seeking employment rather than going back to university."

In response to the widening attainment gap the Scottish Greens yesterday issued a call to scrap school exams in a bid to tackle Scotland's persistent attainment gap.

It came following criticism levelled at the SQA for making changes to the appeal system, scrapping measures that were introduced in 2022 that introduced a "no detriment" clause and allowed provisions for pupils facing exceptional circumstances.

Ross Greer, the party's education spokesperson, said moving from a system of high-stakes exams and towards more continuous assessment is critical to closing the attainment gap.

Mr Greer praised learners for a set of "very strong results" this year as a tribute to the work of young people and their teachers.

But he added:"Exams are a far less accurate way of measuring a young person's knowledge and abilities than ongoing assessment throughout the year.

"That is why the Greens have long called for a move away from Scotland's Victorian-era high-stakes end-of-term exam system, where a learner who has excelled all year can have their future altered by a single bout of anxiety or a bad cold affecting their performance on the day.

"That's not to mention the disadvantage faced by those from chaotic household situations who might not have slept the night before their exams."

Figures published today by the SQA show the attainment gap for A grades at Highers is at its widest level since 2017.

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said that across the three levels, the attainment gap was lower than pre-pandemic.

She said: "While we know that the pandemic has disproportionately impacted young people from more disadvantaged backgrounds, these results show that the gap in attainment levels between the least and most deprived areas remains narrower than it was in 2019.

"We are determined to build on the progress that has been made and we are investing a record £1 billion in the Scottish Attainment Challenge during this parliamentary term."

The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) said the exam results were "strong".

In a statement to media, the organisation said a "sensitive approach" was used to ensure fairness to learners in awarding results in 2023.

SQA chief executive Fiona Robertson said: "Our warmest congratulations to the 140,000 learners receiving their certificates today. They should be proud of their achievements.

"Learners can be confident that the qualifications that they have earned - by demonstrating their knowledge and skills - provide a solid foundation for the next stage in their learning, training or employment."

She added: "Together, we have delivered fairness for all learners while maintaining national standards and the credibility of our qualifications in Scotland and beyond - and learners can have confidence in their grades."

Skills Development Scotland's helpline is available for four days on 0808 100 8000.

The results figures showed the Higher attainment gap between the most and least deprived areas of Scotland has grown wider since last year, while remaining below pre-pandemic levels.

Tuesday's exam results figures show that the gap in attainment of A to C grades between the fifth most-deprived and fifth least-deprived areas stood at 16 percentage points for 2023.

This has risen from 2022's figure of 14.9 percentage points.

Ms Gilruth told the PA news agency during a visit to Craigmount High School in Edinburgh: "We have made progress since 2019 but not as much as I would have liked to have done."

But Scottish Conservatives education spokesman Liam Kerr said this year's results show "16 years of SNP neglect" and said the widening attainment gap is a "source of shame" for Scottish Government ministers.

Mr Kerr added: "For a government that claims to be 'progressive', it represents an abject and shameful failure."

Lib Dem education spokesman Willie Rennie said: "The yawning poverty-related attainment gap is a warning for the SNP Government which promised to close the gap, but instead the gap is as wide as ever.

"If the SNP worked as hard as young people, we may not have such a wide poverty-related attainment gap."

Scottish Labour education spokesperson Pam Duncan-Glancy shared her congratulations with Scotland's young people but joined criticisms of the poverty-related attainment gap.

Ms Duncan-Glancy said: "The data published this morning shows that the poverty-related attainment gap is still persisting across subjects and that pupils from more deprived backgrounds continue to be failed.

"The fact is that after over a decade and a half of SNP rule, progress on tackling the attainment gap for people from deprived backgrounds, people with additional support needs and minorities is stalling.

"The results have basically gone back to 2019 levels, but we knew then the system was unequal. A return to pre-Covid is not good enough."