Set primary standard

If Fiona Hyslop, the education secretary, is so aware of the importance of literacy and numeracy (your report, 29 December), why doesn't she set a standard in these which must be achieved by all primary school pupils before their being presented for secondary education.

I have no involvement in education, but I would imagine that many of the problems experienced by teachers in secondary schools, including unruly behaviour, are caused by pupils who are not sufficiently literate or numerate to assimilate what is being taught.

Rather than waste further time and money on the recently reported proposal to test for literacy and numeracy at S3 level, we should set a "must have" certificated standard, deemed adequate for employment or further education, that must be achieved by school leaving age. Link that certificate to any future entitlement to state benefits, as an educational sanction, then we might just solve a lot of society's problems.

J G McCREADIE
Glen Orchy
Bishopton, Renfrewshire