LAST week Glasgow's students and parents spent anxious hours waiting for the drop of exam results, with fingers crossed to see if all the hard work had paid off.

For the vast majority of the thousands of pupils awaiting exam results this year, for the second year running, exam results improved across the board.

Any increase in pass rates of students is a testament to the hard work of the pupils themselves. But too often we forget that it is also a result of the dedication of teachers and the support of families.

It is also important pupils who did not do as well as they had hoped know these exams are not the be all and end all for their future.

For those who are worried, Skills Development Scotland has an exam results helpline - 0808 100 8000 - that can offer expert advice and support to disappointed pupils.

While it is extremely encouraging that Glaswegian pupils are attaining better Higher exam results there is still a long way to go and Glasgow City Council Leader, Gordon Matheson has promised to 'build on this success and continue to raise expectations and attainment.'

He knows the most important gift we can give to our children is a high quality education.

This is why Labour put education at the heart of its offer to the City that saw it re-elected with an overall majority in last year's elections.

So despite over £150million of budget cuts from the Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council has invested £250million in a programme to improve every primary in our city.

Work has already started on the first group of 59 schools and nurseries to benefit from the refurbishment programme.

This will build upon the £550million already invested by the previous Labour administration on rebuilding and refurbishing more than 100 schools and nurseries over the past five years.

Focusing the council's resources on giving our children a better start in life, refusing to duck the big challenges and hard questions, not hiding behind difficult economic circumstances. Nothing could be more important.

A child who started school last year will leave school in 2025. If they go on to college or university they will graduate by 2030.

But what are we doing now to prepare the country, our economy and the next generation for the world in 15 or 20 years time?

What jobs will our children do? What skills will they need to have to make their way successfully in a competitive global marketplace?

These are the big questions that the Scottish and UK Government should be concerning themselves with rather than obsessing over the constitution and giving their millionaire friends a tax cut.

I am proud Glasgow City Council is prioritising the education of young Glaswegians and I am delighted that, as last week's exam results show, our city's pupils are grabbing this opportunity with both hands.