ALL pupils marked down by the SQA will have their grades withdrawn and replaced by the initial teachers’ estimates, John Swinney has confirmed. 

The Education Secretary and the exams body have been fiercely criticised ever since the publication of National 5, Higher, and Advanced Higher results last week.

With the coronavirus crisis forcing the cancellation of Scotland’s exams for the first time in 130 years, pupils’ marks were instead based on the judgments of their teachers.

However, all of those predicted marks had to be vetted by the SQA’s national system of “moderation”.

The body said this process – the detail of which was kept under wraps until results day – was put in place to maintain “standards and credibility”.

Controversially, the exams body did this in part by looking at each school’s previous history of results.

Around 133,000 entries were adjusted. Students in Scotland’s most deprived areas had their Higher pass rate reduced by 15.2% while their peers in more affluent areas had their rates reduced by just 6.9%.

That revelation sparked outrage, with pupils taking to the streets in protest. A petition started by one teen calling for the “classist marking scheme” to be discarded has now been signed by more than 43,000 people.

READ MORE: Scottish Greens apologise for taking credit for SQA grade changes

Labour have tabled a motion of no confidence in the Deputy First Minister, which is being backed the Tories. 

Speaking in the parliament today, Swinney apologised to the pupils impacted. 

He told MSPs: “We set out to ensure that the system was fair, we set out to ensure that it was credible, but we did not get it right for all young people. 

“Before I go any further, I want to apologise for that. And speaking directly to the young people affected by the downgrading of awards, the 75,000 pupils whose teacher estimates were higher than their final award, I want to say this, I am sorry. 

“But as sorry as I am, I know that an apology is not enough.”

He said the process was implemented in a bid to tackle grade inflation that "would run the risk of undermining the value of qualifications in 2020".

"In the light of events and of listening to young people we now accept that concern, which is not without foundation, is outweighed by the concern that young people, particularly from working class backgrounds, may lose faith in the education system, and form the view that no matter how hard you work the system is against you. 

"Education is the route out of poverty for young people in deprived communities and we cannot risk, allowing that view to take hold."

The Deputy First Minister confirmed that he would use powers available to him under the Education Scotland Act to withdraw all downgraded results and would direct the SQA to “reissue those awards based solely on teacher, or lecturer judgement.”

He said the government would also move to make sure no pupils would be “crowded out” of university because of the initial downgrading. 

Swinney told MSPs: “Schools will be able to confirm the estimates they provided for pupils to those that are returning to school, this week and next.

“The SQA will issue fresh certificates to affected candidates as soon as possible, and importantly will inform UCAS and other admission bodies of the new grades as soon as practical in the coming days, to allow for applications to college and university to be progressed.

“As the First Minister confirmed yesterday in those cases where moderation led to an increased grade, learners will not lose that award. 

“Many of those young people will already have moved on to college or university places on the strength of the awards made to them. To unpick them now would not in any way be fair. 

“Due to the unique circumstances of this situation, we will this year make provision for enough places in universities and colleges to ensure that no one is crowded out of a place they would otherwise have been awarded.”

The Education Secretary also announced that Professor Mark Priestley of Stirling University would conduct an independent review of the events following the cancellation of the examination diet and make recommendations for the coming year. 

Tory Education Secretary Jamie Greene described Swinney's statement as the "longest resignation speech in history, minus the resignation."

He added: "Just last week, the education secretary said, there is no evidence that young people in deprived communities have been disadvantaged. He was backed by the First Minister the whole way. And today, both of them forced into an apology, and this humiliating u-turn."