Image copyright PA Education Secretary John Swinney has said it would be “deeply irresponsible” to scrap controversial tests for primary one pupils.
Mr Swinney claimed opposition politicians who have criticised the standardised national assessments have often been “ill-informed” and hypocritical.
The tests have also been opposed by the EIS teaching union.
The Scottish parliament is to vote on the issue on Wednesday.
Opposition MSPs are reported to be hopeful of defeating the government, although the vote would not be binding.
‘Deeply irresponsible’
Mr Swinney said: “I am perfectly happy to have a debate on the merits of standardised assessments which is based on fact, but frankly many of the criticisms from opposition politicians have ranged from ill-informed to hypocritical.
“Some opposition politicians are now proposing to scrap P1 assessments.
“To do this would be deeply irresponsible, and parents would quite rightly never forgive any politician who puts party politics ahead of the educational interests of their children.”
He pointed out that councils run by Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats were among those who carried out their own assessments in P1 prior to the national tests.
Only three local authorities out of 32, said Mr Swinney, did not test P1 pupils.
He added: “For those same parties to suddenly claim that there is an issue with P1 assessments when an SNP government adopts the policy nationally reeks of political opportunism of the worst order.”
‘Major issues’
But the policy has faced strong opposition at Holyrood.
Liz Smith, Scottish Conservative education spokeswoman, said current evidence suggests “major issues” with the tests.
Scottish Labour education spokesman Iain Gray said: “The facts are that the government has tried to say that these tests are an integral part of teaching to assess strengths and weaknesses of individual pupils, and that they also provide comparative data school to school.
“They cannot do both, and the government’s own statisticians have told them so.”
The Scottish Green’s education spokesman Ross Greer also accused the SNP of putting party politics ahead of education and claimed they were “ignoring” evidence on the tests.
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said Mr Swinney was “refusing to listen” after teachers, campaigners and EIS Scotland branded the tests a “waste of effort” and urged him to change course.
Content provided by the BBC. Original piece can be found here https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-45535544
