Iain Gray, opportunity spokesman, told the party’s conference in Perth that the senior years of high school were weighted too heavily towards those seeking a conventional path to university, while other capable candidates missed out unfairly.
He called for the introduction of a certificate similar to one operating in Wales, which recognises vocational qualifications and wider experiences. Some universities include this when considering applications.
He said: “Scottish Labour want to see reforms of the senior years of secondary school to deliver a comprehensive system for our young people that blends together school, college, university and the workplace. This should create, allow and value different routes to achievement.”
Meanwhile, the SNP has come under fire for failing to honour its 2007 pledge to cancel student debt and cutting support to the poorest students.
Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale told First Minister’s Questions that the total value of student debt had risen to
£2.7 billion, making it the Scottish government’s biggest asset: “Under the SNP government, the average student bursary or grant has been cut by almost 30 per cent and it’s the poorest students who are suffering.”
Ms Sturgeon replied that Scotland had the best student support system in the UK, with average debt for Scottish students well below typical levels in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and cited supportive comments from the National Union of Students (NUS) Scotland.
However, Vonnie Sandlan, president of NUS Scotland, said that bigger grants were needed for the least well off.
She said: “It’s right that we’ve maintained free education in Scotland, but that can’t just be about the price tag. We need to look at the wider cost of studying and how students are supported in education.
“Without access to the necessary financial support, students are forced to turn to commercial debt, take on unreasonable amounts of part-time work, or even drop out of education altogether.”