The SQA first struck a deal with the Middle East island country in 2010 to help develop its education system. Soon afterwards protests against the government, part of the Arab Spring uprisings, were crushed.
Last March the SQA signed a further contract as the violence continued, according to a report in Scotland on Sunday. The SQA confirmed this to SecEd but defended the deal as likely to benefit citizens.
Amnesty International (AI) in Scotland said it had “very serious concerns” about Bahrain and organisations should consider the political situation before entering into commercial contracts with the government.
Mark Bevan of AI said dozens of 15 to 17-year-olds had been held in adult prisons and detention centres in Bahrain. Child detainees had alleged they were beaten and some had also been forced to sign “confessions”.
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