MSPs have called for a review of the board that oversees curriculum reforms amid "confusion" over its role and responsibilities.
Holyrood's Education Committee said it had "reservations" about the current structure of the Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) management board, which makes recommendations to the Scottish Government on the school curriculum.
SNP convener James Dornan has written to Education Secretary John Swinney proposing a review to establish "clearer lines of responsibility and better strategic oversight" of the reforms after the committee held a series of evidence sessions with education agencies and board members.
Any new structure should be independently evaluated to ensure there is "much less scope for any confusion between the decision-making process and what is implemented at school level".
In the letter, Mr Dornan said it was "unclear what the board did" during the implementation of the reforms when changes to exams were under way and issues such as teacher workload arose.
The committee had received "no evidence" of the board having taken clear decisions and actions during that time and members were left "unclear" over who was responsible for policy, decision-making and assessing the implementation of the reforms.
The letter said: "Members felt that some areas of dubiety remained following the latest evidence session, with contrasting evidence received on whether the board or individual organisations are ultimately responsible for different decisions.
"Broadly speaking, the SQA and Education Scotland's evidence suggested that, on some matters, there is a reliance on the board as the decision-maker without clear strategic direction and a clear rationale for the decisions being made.
"Yet the board did not make decisions and the minutes do not reflect clear actions or options presented to ministers on matters where ministers could reasonably expect to be asked."
It added: "The lines of communication and delivery seem blurred and the committee remains concerned that this has had a negative impact on the delivery of Curriculum for Excellence."
Labour MSP Daniel Johnson, a member of the committee, said the letter called into question whether the board was "fit for purpose".
He said: "Holyrood's Education committee has found that it is unclear who is taking responsibility for the key decisions - that has a negative impact on the delivery of Curriculum for Excellence in classrooms across Scotland.
"The SNP government needs to address these crucial issues in the running of our education system if we are going to see the improvements we all want."
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