Education is at the heart of this Government and raising standards is the key priority. We will work to achieve this in partnership with education authorities, schools and all those who want to see standards rise. Scotland must have a modern world class education system, Where achievement is valued and in which every pupil has the opportunity to attain excellence, regardless of social or financial background. It is important that Scottish pupils achieve educational standards which compare favourably with those achieved in other countries. Our children need to be equipped to meet the challenges which lie ahead in a rapidly changing world.
Educational standards contribute strongly to the economic well-being of a country.
Targets have an important role to play in raising levels of attainment. They help focus the attention of teachers and parents on attainment and pupils' performance. They also provide measures to evaluate progress and gauge improvement. As Partners 3 is a recent discussion paper which has opened a debate about how the School Board's role might be developed. Each school's SDP is updated annually.