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| What is Nicola Sturgeon's report card? | What is Nicola Sturgeon's report card? |
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| Nicola Sturgeon often said that education was a top priority for her | Nicola Sturgeon often said that education was a top priority for her |
| Nicola Sturgeon has been Scotland's first minister for more than eight years, the longest anyone has stayed in the post. | Nicola Sturgeon has been Scotland's first minister for more than eight years, the longest anyone has stayed in the post. |
| As her time at the top of Scottish politics comes to an end, BBC Scotland correspondents look at how she has done in their area. | As her time at the top of Scottish politics comes to an end, BBC Scotland correspondents look at how she has done in their area. |
| Nicola Sturgeon became first minister in the wake of the failed independence campaign in 2014, stepping in after Alex Salmond's resignation. | Nicola Sturgeon became first minister in the wake of the failed independence campaign in 2014, stepping in after Alex Salmond's resignation. |
| Her tenure will be remembered for many things but in the end she has not moved the dial on the founding issue which got her into politics - Scottish independence. | Her tenure will be remembered for many things but in the end she has not moved the dial on the founding issue which got her into politics - Scottish independence. |
| Ms Sturgeon took charge of a nation divided on the issue and will leave Bute House with the polls still broadly split down the middle. | Ms Sturgeon took charge of a nation divided on the issue and will leave Bute House with the polls still broadly split down the middle. |
| She faced off with five different UK prime ministers - all Tory - but none would grant her a second crack at a referendum. In her opinion, a democratic outrage. | She faced off with five different UK prime ministers - all Tory - but none would grant her a second crack at a referendum. In her opinion, a democratic outrage. |
| A Supreme Court case proved another dead end. | A Supreme Court case proved another dead end. |
| Ms Sturgeon has now decided to released the reins at the very moment where the next steps will be mapped out. | Ms Sturgeon has now decided to released the reins at the very moment where the next steps will be mapped out. |
| She has not given up on her dream of independence but it will be for someone else to decide the strategy and lead the campaign. | She has not given up on her dream of independence but it will be for someone else to decide the strategy and lead the campaign. |
| Before she was first minister, Nicola Sturgeon spent five years as health secretary. | Before she was first minister, Nicola Sturgeon spent five years as health secretary. |
| In that time she made plenty of big calls - scrapping prescription charges, introducing minimum pricing legislation, a 12-week legal requirement to treat patients. | In that time she made plenty of big calls - scrapping prescription charges, introducing minimum pricing legislation, a 12-week legal requirement to treat patients. |
| She was also involved in the early days of building the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow. | She was also involved in the early days of building the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow. |
| As first minister she'll undoubtedly be remembered as the woman who led Scotland during a global pandemic - fronting televised briefings and occasionally deciding that Covid rules would diverge from other parts of the UK. | As first minister she'll undoubtedly be remembered as the woman who led Scotland during a global pandemic - fronting televised briefings and occasionally deciding that Covid rules would diverge from other parts of the UK. |
| But you are never far away from controversy when it comes to handling of the NHS. | But you are never far away from controversy when it comes to handling of the NHS. |
| There are record waiting times to access NHS treatment and high levels of staff vacancies - as well as the ongoing Hospitals Inquiry and the Scotland and UK Covid inquiries. | There are record waiting times to access NHS treatment and high levels of staff vacancies - as well as the ongoing Hospitals Inquiry and the Scotland and UK Covid inquiries. |
| These could provide some uncomfortable verdicts on decision-making by Nicola Sturgeon's government. | These could provide some uncomfortable verdicts on decision-making by Nicola Sturgeon's government. |
| Education was a top priority for Nicola Sturgeon when she became first minister. | |
| Helping more young people from relatively disadvantaged backgrounds to do better at school and get to university was to be a defining mission. | Helping more young people from relatively disadvantaged backgrounds to do better at school and get to university was to be a defining mission. |
| However, her term ends with the first national teachers' strike since the 1980s and strained relations between the Scottish government and the teachers' unions. | However, her term ends with the first national teachers' strike since the 1980s and strained relations between the Scottish government and the teachers' unions. |
| Closing the attainment gap, another goal, was always going to be a complex, long term task. | Closing the attainment gap, another goal, was always going to be a complex, long term task. |
| Universities are now taking in a record number of students from the most disadvantaged parts of Scotland, but there are worries that other young people may be finding it harder to get on to certain courses. | Universities are now taking in a record number of students from the most disadvantaged parts of Scotland, but there are worries that other young people may be finding it harder to get on to certain courses. |
| Progress was being made closing the attainment gap in schools. Then came the pandemic and unthinkable disruption to the education system. | Progress was being made closing the attainment gap in schools. Then came the pandemic and unthinkable disruption to the education system. |
| Supporters of the government can point to the progress being made helping children from the most disadvantaged areas before the pandemic. | Supporters of the government can point to the progress being made helping children from the most disadvantaged areas before the pandemic. |
| But until the teachers' pay dispute is resolved, the risk is that the shadow of picket lines will hang over discussion about education itself. | But until the teachers' pay dispute is resolved, the risk is that the shadow of picket lines will hang over discussion about education itself. |
| It can be argued that Nicola Sturgeon's biggest single contribution to Scotland's justice system is her announcement of the abolition of the "not proven" verdict. | It can be argued that Nicola Sturgeon's biggest single contribution to Scotland's justice system is her announcement of the abolition of the "not proven" verdict. |
| The undefined second verdict of acquittal, unique to Scotland, has caused angst for decades, if not centuries. | The undefined second verdict of acquittal, unique to Scotland, has caused angst for decades, if not centuries. |
| But depending on when she steps down, her legacy could also include something far more radical - a pilot of judge-only rape trials currently under consideration by her government. | But depending on when she steps down, her legacy could also include something far more radical - a pilot of judge-only rape trials currently under consideration by her government. |
| The first minister portrays herself as a champion of women's rights and such a move would be expected to improve the conviction rate in rape cases. | The first minister portrays herself as a champion of women's rights and such a move would be expected to improve the conviction rate in rape cases. |
| But removing the right to a trial by jury, even for a limited time on limited basis, would be hugely controversial. | But removing the right to a trial by jury, even for a limited time on limited basis, would be hugely controversial. |
| If that's the road the Scottish government decides to go down, Nicola Sturgeon will have played a significant part in making it happen. | If that's the road the Scottish government decides to go down, Nicola Sturgeon will have played a significant part in making it happen. |
| The spiralling number of drug deaths in Scotland led the first minister to admit her government had taken its "eye off the ball" when it came to addiction. | The spiralling number of drug deaths in Scotland led the first minister to admit her government had taken its "eye off the ball" when it came to addiction. |
| Of course, Scotland isn't the only country with drug issues. In many respects, this is an inherited, multi-generational problem. | Of course, Scotland isn't the only country with drug issues. In many respects, this is an inherited, multi-generational problem. |
| But Nicola Sturgeon's government hadn't prioritised that problem until 1,000 Scots a year or more were succumbing to addiction. | But Nicola Sturgeon's government hadn't prioritised that problem until 1,000 Scots a year or more were succumbing to addiction. |
| Before that, local treatment budgets had been cut just as a new dangerous wave of street valium swept through poor communities. | Before that, local treatment budgets had been cut just as a new dangerous wave of street valium swept through poor communities. |
| The issue was particularly acute: Scotland saw seven years of record drug deaths and a death rate higher than any other European nation. | The issue was particularly acute: Scotland saw seven years of record drug deaths and a death rate higher than any other European nation. |
| Experts would soon point out that it was comparable with North America's opioid crisis. | Experts would soon point out that it was comparable with North America's opioid crisis. |
| There were arguments about who should control drug policy - Holyrood or Westminster - but ultimately, Nicola Sturgeon's government accepted its own responsibilities and declared a national effort to reduce deaths. | There were arguments about who should control drug policy - Holyrood or Westminster - but ultimately, Nicola Sturgeon's government accepted its own responsibilities and declared a national effort to reduce deaths. |
| Now £250m is being invested into addiction services but Scotland has yet to see a significant reduction in the number of fatal overdoses. | Now £250m is being invested into addiction services but Scotland has yet to see a significant reduction in the number of fatal overdoses. |
| The first minister is a campaigner at heart. The economy has rarely seemed a priority for Nicola Sturgeon, seeing it as a foundation of wellbeing rather than wealth. | The first minister is a campaigner at heart. The economy has rarely seemed a priority for Nicola Sturgeon, seeing it as a foundation of wellbeing rather than wealth. |
| She has talked it up, announcing targets for exports, plans for skills and task forces for productivity. | She has talked it up, announcing targets for exports, plans for skills and task forces for productivity. |
| But while focussing her attention on social policy, health and redistribution of income through new tax and welfare powers, she delegated business policy to other ministers. | But while focussing her attention on social policy, health and redistribution of income through new tax and welfare powers, she delegated business policy to other ministers. |
| She took a more prominent role intervening in failing businesses in an attempt to save jobs, with mixed success - an Inverclyde shipyard, a Fife fabrication yard, steel rolling in Motherwell and aluminium in Lochaber. They have created a legacy of higher costs and financial liabilities. | She took a more prominent role intervening in failing businesses in an attempt to save jobs, with mixed success - an Inverclyde shipyard, a Fife fabrication yard, steel rolling in Motherwell and aluminium in Lochaber. They have created a legacy of higher costs and financial liabilities. |
| ScotRail was taken over by government. Transport spending shifted to buses. CalMac's ageing fleet is in crisis. | ScotRail was taken over by government. Transport spending shifted to buses. CalMac's ageing fleet is in crisis. |
| Ms Sturgeon has blocked further private involvement in the NHS. The takeover of Scottish firms and loss of corporate headquarters has been barely noticed across Scottish politics. | Ms Sturgeon has blocked further private involvement in the NHS. The takeover of Scottish firms and loss of corporate headquarters has been barely noticed across Scottish politics. |
| Since the COP26 summit in Glasgow, the first minister has argued for higher hurdles being placed in the way of further drilling for oil and gas. | Since the COP26 summit in Glasgow, the first minister has argued for higher hurdles being placed in the way of further drilling for oil and gas. |
| She's urged a faster roll-out of renewable energy but faced criticism for the lack of Scottish content and jobs in it. | She's urged a faster roll-out of renewable energy but faced criticism for the lack of Scottish content and jobs in it. |
| Other landmark policies on business suggested her instincts have been for regulation, to tackle other priorities - recently including a freeze on housing rents, the deposit and return scheme for drinks containers, plans to reduce alcohol advertising and to restrict marketing of unhealthy food. | Other landmark policies on business suggested her instincts have been for regulation, to tackle other priorities - recently including a freeze on housing rents, the deposit and return scheme for drinks containers, plans to reduce alcohol advertising and to restrict marketing of unhealthy food. |
| Deciding whether to press on with these will be an early sign of whether her successor plans to change direction and perhaps become a closer friend to Scottish business. | Deciding whether to press on with these will be an early sign of whether her successor plans to change direction and perhaps become a closer friend to Scottish business. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Scottish government | Scottish government |
| Nicola Sturgeon | Nicola Sturgeon |
| Scotland Education | Scotland Education |
| Scottish independence | Scottish independence |