LABOUR pledged today to offer catch-up tutoring to every pupil in Scotland, as the party accused the SNP of failing on education. 

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said his party would focus on improving education to avoid “another lost generation” of children.

The party said educational standards have fallen under the SNP, saying promises of closing the attainment gap have been empty.

Mr Sarwar said Labour would offer tutoring to every pupil to fill gaps in learning, as well as giving every young person free access to sport and outdoor activities, arts and culture.

He said: “For generations, Scotland’s education system led the world — but after 14 years of abject failure and broken promises, too many children have had to struggle against the system rather than been helped by it.

“The First Minister said: ‘Judge me on education’ — she has spectacularly failed.

“If we are to prevent another five years of young people having their potential squandered by SNP failures, we need a Scottish Labour opposition at Holyrood standing up for the young people of Scotland and keeping the First Minister’s eye on the ball.”

The SNP promised significant investment if it is returned to power  in this week’s election. 

A spokeswoman said: “Only the SNP has set out a serious programme for government to support our children and young people in the recovery from this pandemic — with the IFS [Institute for Fiscal Studies] warning that Labour’s manifesto lacks a vision for improving Scotland’s school system beyond the coming year.

“Although attainment and opportunity has improved overall in Scotland over the past decade, with record numbers of pupils from the poorest background now going on to college and university, the SNP is clear that more needs to be done.”