THE First Minister yesterday admitted that while performance in maths and science in Scotland’s schools was “stable” it was “not good enough”.

Statistics from The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) released on Tuesday record the performance of 600,000 15-year-olds from across the world. They revealed that Scotland has dropped significantly in the two subjects, though it jumped up the rankings for reading.

In 2018, Scotland achieved a mean score of 504 for reading, up from 493 in 2015, 489 for maths, down from 491 in 2015, and 490 for science, down from 497 in 2015.

READ MORE: Scottish education report shows 'progress' with mixed results

A total of 18 other countries recorded a higher performance than Scotland in maths, including England (504) and the UK as a whole (502).

Scottish Tory leader Jackson Carlaw said the international data showed performance in the two subjects were at their lowest.

He said: “I welcome the figures on reading, but it is a little like people celebrating the fact that they have just had their kitchen redecorated when the front two rooms in the house are on fire.”

Carlaw said that since the SNP had been elected only “one country out of 40 has experienced a bigger fall in standards in science”.

He added: “In maths, Scotland has experienced the fifth-biggest fall.”

Sturgeon said efforts such as the attainment challenge and pupil equity funding had led to an improvement in schools and helped boost reading.

READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon hits back at critics in Scottish education stats row

“I am not standing here saying that the performance in maths or in science is acceptable to me or the Scottish Government – I am not saying that in any way, shape, or form.

“However, after we saw a significant decline, the current study shows a performance that has stabilised.

“We now intend to bring to bear the initiatives and interventions that will see an improvement in maths and science that is similar to the improvement that we have seen in reading and literacy in this survey.

“That is the focus that a government should bring.” The Tory leader called on the First Minister to concentrate on the day job, saying: “After the previous set of PISA results, John Swinney told us that the SNP Government’s ‘unwavering focus’ would be on improving our schools.

“Nicola Sturgeon’s unwavering focus has been not on improving our schools but on forcing another independence referendum on Scotland.

“How much more Government failure does Scotland have to endure before she drops that obsession and gets on with her job?”

Sturgeon said it was a “bit rich” of Carlaw to talk about the quality of public services given the damage of austerity.

She said: “When we took office, fewer than half of the pupils in Scotland left school with a higher qualification; now, almost two-thirds do.

“When we took office, just over 20% left school with the gold standard of five highers; that is now more than 30%.

“The Scottish household survey shows that 86% of those with direct experience of schools say they are satisfied with the quality of education.

“I do not think that is job done, but it is an indication of the focus and the progress that we are making and will continue to deliver.

“Lastly, I think that it is a bit rich for Jackson Carlaw, as the representative of the party that has imposed a decade of austerity on Scotland, to stand up here and talk about the quality of public services.

“What we need to do over the next few days is take the opportunity to get rid of the Conservative Government.

“That is the best thing that we could do for public services the length and breadth of our country.”