A TORY MSP has angered teachers and left opponents amazed after she submitted a parliamentary motion at Holyrood praising the high pass rate of pupils in the latest Scottish exams.

Michelle Ballantyne, Conservative list MSP for the South of Scotland, praised what she called a “record year for Borders exam results” in the motion.

It brought an astonished response from the Scottish Government – “she’s let the cat out of the Tory bag” – after enduring many months of criticism from the Scottish Conservatives over education, including a speech by leader Ruth Davidson to her party’s conference in March where she said that “the school system…simply isn’t working.”

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Last week Tory education spokeswoman Liz Smith, one of the signatories supporting the motion, praised teachers and parents “who supported [pupils] over the last few months, and have done so much to give today’s school leavers a great start in life”.

Ballantyne’s motion, by contrast, extols the record-setting success of pupils in her area, but fails to mention teachers, their school managements and indeed parents.

The motion reads: “That the Parliament congratulates the school pupils from across the Borders on their exam results; notes that 2017 marks the highest number of exams passed; recognises the hard work of pupils in achieving this outstanding result; notes the large increase of pupils at Borders’ high schools gaining three or more Highers, and wishes them continued success.”

The motion is supported by Conservatives led by Liz Smith and including Tom Mason, Miles Briggs, Liam Kerr, Alexander Stewart, Maurice Corry, Edward Mountain, Margaret Mitchell, Jeremy Balfour, Alexander Burnett, Finlay Carson, Donald Cameron, Rachael Hamilton and Dean Lockhart. Party leader Davidson’s signature is not present.

The motion’s failure to praise teachers has upset teaching union the EIS, particularly as secondary school teachers nationwide have been dealing with “substantial upheavals” in the exam system in recent years.

A spokesperson for the union said: “The EIS would certainly add its own congratulations to secondary pupils on a strong set of exam results this year, which is due to the hard work of the young people in our schools.

“However, it is unfortunate that this particular parliamentary motion makes no mention of the efforts of teachers in supporting pupils towards their exam successes. “Despite austerity cuts, soaring levels of workload and the pressure of substantial upheaval in the qualifications system, teachers have again gone the extra mile to ensure that pupils receive the support they require in preparing for their exams.

“These strong results are a credit to Scotland’s pupils, teachers and to Scotland’s comprehensive education system.”

A spokesperson for education secretary John Swinney said: “Nationally the Tories never cease to paint the most negative picture possible of Scottish education, ignoring the simple truth that we have a good education system, albeit one that we think can be better.

“Now, Michelle Ballantyne has let the cat out of the Tory bag. It’s a shame she doesn’t acknowledge the hard work of teachers but at least she recognises the results are a real success for pupils and reveal the strength of Scottish education.

“Yet if you listened to her Tory colleagues, you would never know it.

“Her motion makes it obvious that Tory attacks on education are politically driven. We can only hope this outbreak of truthfulness will spread to her colleagues.”

A retired Borders teacher told The National: “Anyone would think the pupils passed the exams all by themselves. Not a mention of teachers, not a word about parents, nothing about all the staff that make schools able to get pupils passing exams. Teachers are the first to be criticised and the last to be congratulated.

“Of course the system is not perfect, but it would be nice to hear teachers being praised as well as the pupils. Attitudes like Michelle Ballantyne’s are the reason why so many teachers are quitting the profession.”

A Conservative Party spokesman said: “As soon as exam results were received the Scottish Conservatives congratulated pupils for achieving these passes in spite of the SNP’s stewardship of education, not because of it. Those sentiments are echoed in this motion.”