AS young people up and down the land begin sitting the exams that will play such a key role in their future, yet another storm is brewing between teaching unions and the authority that sets the tests.

The Educational Institute for Scotland (EIS) has accused the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) of lacking trust in them, after the exams body stopped giving teachers immediate access to papers, which allowed them to assess the questions and provide on-the-spot feedback to students. They now have to wait until a day after the test, with pupils prevented from taking papers out of the exam hall.

The SQA claim the move is about improving security and preventing “inappropriate postings” online, pointing to instances where teachers have answered exam questions on social media straight after a test, saying this could upset pupils and reduce their confidence.

The EIS, however, said the SQA was more concerned with saving face following criticism than giving pupils a useful opportunity to discuss their exam performance with their teachers. The union also argues the delay amounts to a lack of trust in teaching staff. It’s not the first time they’ve made such an accusation, of course. Only last year, teachers accused the SQA of calling them “cheats” after they issued “grossly insulting” instructions to around how much help should be given to pupils with coursework. Many teachers also have concerns about the workload involved in the new exams.

It’s fair to say, then, that the atmosphere between the two sides is already sour. And this latest confrontation comes amid wider mounting criticism over its introduction of the updated exam diet, which includes National 4 and 5 tests and new Highers.

Many will remember the scandal of 2015, when the pass mark for Higher maths had to be reduced to 34 per cent following an outcry from pupils, parents and schools. Last year’s Higher Geography exam, meanwhile, was criticised by teachers as “shocking, terrible…the worst ever” leading to an inquiry by MSPs. Following these issues and other mistakes, Education Secretary John Swinney told the Scottish Parliament the body’s performance was “not good enough”.

In such an atmosphere is perhaps understandable that the SQA should be sensitive, especially when pupils and teachers now routinely take to social media to air frustrations about particular exams, whether the criticism is founded or not. Such constant and immediate public scrutiny is challenging for any organisation.

It’s hard to see, however, how delaying access to papers that have already been sat will ease this situation. The reality of social media means vacuums are easily filled with fiction and hearsay – not allowing immediate scrutiny of papers seems pointless in our modern digital world.

The prime focus of the SQA should surely be on ensuring that Scotland’s examination diet is set correctly and administered efficiently. What’s important is the integrity of the system and public confidence in it. After all, any perception that it is fundamentally flawed and failing our children ultimately damages all of us.