SQA crisis: Government advisor asks if exam bosses are fit to remain

His remarks - made during a meeting of Holyrood's Education, Children and Young People Committee - are likely to pile additional pressure on chief executive Fiona Robertson and her colleagues following recent anger over revision support materials that were branded insulting and unfair.

An employee survey carried out last year also provides indications that belief in the organisation’s leadership has withered. Fewer than half of respondents (47%) agreed or strongly agreed they had “confidence” in decisions made by senior managers, with more than a third (35%) disagreeing or strongly disagreeing that change in the SQA is “managed well”.

However, Prof Muir’s criticisms have been rejected by SQA chiefs who said they contained “a number of misrepresentations and inaccuracies”.

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The agency has endured a torrid 24 months in which Covid forced the cancellation of exams. Alternative certification processes in 2020 and 2021 also sparked widespread fury over issues such as lack of equity and harm to pupil wellbeing.

Following publication of a detailed review by Prof Muir, Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville confirmed earlier this month that the SQA would be replaced. However, the organisation will oversee the next two, and possibly three, exam diets.

Asked whether there could be grounds for confidence in its leadership in the event of another crisis, Prof Muir - former chief executive of the General Teaching Council for Scotland - suggested he had doubts.

He told MSPs: “I think it’s really important that, given that SQA will continue to exist, that a fair amount of the expertise and specialisms that are required are in there that need to be in place to undertake a national diet of examinations.

"I think it’s important that, in the very short term, as I say, the SQA leadership looks at themselves and asks themselves, ‘do we have the capacity, do we have the culture, do we have the organisational will to make the changes that are necessary?’”

Professor Ken Muir was giving evidence to MSPs during Wednesday's meeting of the Education, Children and Young People Committee.

He added: “I do think there are questions that need to be asked of the executive management team, the chief executive, and the board, because there is a management board in there, all of whom have come under criticism in some of the discussions and engagements that I have had.

“As much as anything, I think it’s for them to decide or to make a determination as to whether they think they have the capacity and, possibly in some cases, the will to lead the organisation forward in what is undoubtedly going to be a period of significant challenge and change - because not only [are they] delivering the next three diets, they are going to have to pay very close attention to the reforms that are coming down the track.”

Prof Muir also said there was a "strong sense" that the SQA needs to "listen more". He told MSPs: "It’s an organisation whose governance needs to better reflect the expert practitioners that are undertaking the very challenging task of learning and teaching. And I suppose as a result, given that there have been criticisms of the culture within the organisation, that automatically filters onto the leadership of the organisation."

David Middleton, SQA chair, said: "SQA engaged positively and in good faith with Professor Muir throughout his review, and so we were surprised and disappointed by the evidence given to the Education Committee, which contained a number of misrepresentations and inaccuracies.

“Firstly, the significant amount of information provided by SQA to the review team was done at their request and with their agreement, to help them understand the breadth and complexity of SQA’s work. Secondly, national qualifications aligned to Curriculum for Excellence were developed by SQA but the removal of unit assessments by the Scottish Government in 2016 resulted in a greater emphasis on exams and less continuous assessment.

“Thirdly, and contrary to the evidence given, SQA's work draws on expert advice from the teaching profession. Each year we work with 15,000 appointees who are practising teachers and lecturers, and our independent Advisory Council also includes a number of people working in schools and colleges. Many SQA staff are also former teachers. We also work with a wider range of partners, notably through the National Qualifications Group that has been led through the challenges of the pandemic in 2021 and 2022 by SQA’s chief executive."

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He added: “We agree with Professor Muir that education reform is needed, with learners at the centre. There is a real appetite for change within SQA, and we recognise the need to listen, reflect, and act.

"However, the complex functions that SQA carries out on behalf of the Scottish Government are not delivered in isolation. They are part of a much wider education system, and change must happen in every part of that system if we are to realise our aspirations. We all need to take a long – or short – hard look in the mirror.”