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Pupils are being short changed when they are taught together for different qualifications, according to a teachers union.

The SSTA wants to curb the practice of so-called "multi course teaching" in the senior years of secondary school.

It can mean students doing National 4s and 5s are being taught alongside others doing their Highers.

The Scottish government announced a review which will look into this.

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Scottish Labour's Iain Gray criticises the Scottish government for not bringing this issue back to parliament for two years.

The principles of CfE are undisputed, he says, but the lack of scrutiny and the implementation of the curriculum have been a weakness.

Pupils are able to choose fewer subjects to exam level, squeezing some subjects out the system altogether, he adds.

The MSP points to falling literacy and maths standards, saying schools in more deprived areas are more likely to be affected.

An issue to be looked at as part of the senior education review is the transition into it, Mr Swinney says.

I do not think this is the moment to revisit broad general education other than its relationship with the senior phase, he argues.

Changing the education system does not happen immediately and five years is not enough to see the outcomes of the 2015 OECD recommendations come to fruition, he argues.

We are open to the challenge of improving education he says, and he urges parliament to support his amendment to ensure issues are addressed without disrupting education.

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Pass rates fell for Highers but rose for National 5 qualifications as Scottish students receive their exam results.

The Scottish Qualifications Authority has also revealed the overall pass rates for courses and qualifications.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said the yearly variation was "expected".

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Mr Swinney says the education system must be about the acquisition of knowledge and of skills, and he believes the curriculum strikes this balance.

A curriculum which focuses only on knowledge or skills is not one he would support, he adds.

Labour MSP Jenny Marra says in Dundee, schools are mandated by the council to offer no more than six subjects due to funding issues.

I enthusiastically support the empowerment of schools to take their own decisions, replies the education secretary.

Education Secretary John Swinney says curriculum for excellence isn't just about education, but a more holistic approach to achievement.

He says a more prescriptive system would challenge this holistic approach.

Ms Smith says the Conservatives have a problem with the delivery of the curriculum, not the curriculum itself. She also asks him about narrowing choices at S4 level.

Mr Swinney says a broad general education is what is needed and says decisions are taking at local level on what schools offer.

I think we should probably be a bit more prescriptive about the curriculum, the Tory MSP suggests.

Ms Smith says despite all the talent in Scottish schools, we are not performing as well as we should be.

Mr Swinney must recognise there is a long way to go before Scotland can claim to lead the world, she concludes.

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The Scottish government ordered a full review of the senior phase of education in secondary schools in September.

The move followed a critical report by MSPs on the Scottish Parliament's education committee, who examined how S4, S5 and S6 work.

They found there had been a narrowing of the subject choices which were on offer for some pupils.

Education Secretary John Swinney said the review would identify any areas for improvement.

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Turning to the review of the senior phase of education, Ms Smith welcomes much of it but she says there remains a desire for more rigour in the teaching of core subjects.

She also expresses concern that pupils are unable to achieve the breadth of education they would like, with the number of qualifications some are able to take having dropped in some schools.

It is not a coincidence that there has been a decline in the uptake of modern languages she says, adding this is one of the more difficult subjects to pick back up because continuity is important.

Tory education spokesperson Liz Smith says there is a "significant mismatch" between the Scottish government's rhetoric on educational standards and what is happening in schools.

She says schools are facing serious challenges and she points to frustrations in a lack of clarity about who is responsible for the curriculum.

The four year decline in Higher pass rates is not just an issue of annual variation Ms Smith argues.

The Tory MSP calls for an assessment of what the problem is.

Education Secretary John Swinney confirms he will publish the outline of the information established by the analysis he commissioned.

The Scottish Tories are leading today's debate, focusing on education.

The motion highlights "significant concerns regarding subject choice" and calls for a "full review of the senior phase of curriculum for excellence".

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No discussion have taken place, replies the transport secretary.

Work is already underway to explore options after 2022, but this is subject to the outcome of the UK government's white paper, he adds.

Mr Fraser questions whether a public sector bid will be made.

We can only offer franchises, replies Mr Matheson, adding that there are systemic problems with the franchise system.

Tory MSP Murdo Fraser asks about discussions with potential buyers for the ScotRail franchise.

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Abellio ScotRail's contract to run train services in Scotland will end early, Transport Secretary Michael Matheson announced last month.

The Dutch firm has been running the franchise since 2015 but had faced criticism over cancellations and performance levels.

The contract, worth more than £7bn over 10 years, was due to last until 2025.

Mr Matheson told MSPs he was looking at other options for the future, including the franchise being run by the public sector.

Connectivity Minister Paul Wheelhouse says the government cannot sign the contract until the legal proceedings come to an end.

He will update the parliament when he is able, he adds.

Ms Grant asks if voucher schemes can be used collectively which would be of benefit to hard-to-reach communities.

We are in the process of developing the scheme, replies the minister.

Labour MSP Rhoda Grant requests a timescale for proceeding with the R100 procurement for the North area, in light of the legal challenge from Gigaclear Ltd.

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The Scottish government is to pay for people to access superfast broadband after admitting it will not hit its target for extending the fibre network.

Ministers had originally pledged to extend high-speed cables to every home and business in Scotland by 2021.

However MSPs have now been told that work on the network will run past 2023.

Connectivity Minister Paul Wheelhouse said the majority of the build would be completed by the end of 2023 for south and central Scotland, but a target date for the north was not provided because the contract has been caught up in a legal challenge.

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Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing says he has raised concerns with UK counterparts that a trade deal must not undermine food standards.

Ms Harper says potential self policing in US slaughterhouses poses a threat to Scottish products due to products being lower cost but poorer quality.

Mr Ewing says without high standards, consumers do not know what they are getting.

Cheap imports flooding the market could undermine the market for Scottish produce and this is a serious Brexit issue, he adds.

SNP MSP Emma Harper asks about the impact of reported plans by the US to introduce a system of self-regulation and policing for slaughterhouses on meat products imported to Scotland.

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Chlorine-washed chicken and hormone-treated beef will be kept out of the UK under any trade deal with the US, the UK environment secretary has promised.

Theresa Villiers told the BBC the current European Union ban on the two foods will be carried over into UK legislation after Brexit.

Until now the UK has been wavering on the issue.

But she told BBC Countryfile: “There are legal barriers to the imports and those are going to stay in place.”

Rural Affairs Minister Mairi Gougeon says recommendations made by the Women in Agriculture Taskforce are being taken forward by the government and will encourage more women into the sector.

Changing culture and practice was one of the core recommendations, she says, with an equality charter to be established to resolve this.

Tory MSP Rachael Hamilton says young women face significant barriers to entering the industry and she calls for a reversal of the decision to end funding for the new entrants scheme.

Ms Gougeon says recommendations on a new entrants scheme will be made by the food and farming production group.