New education secretary John Swinney has challenged teaching unions to submit "specific, tangible ideas" to help cut workload by the end of this week.

The deputy first minister said he wanted to collaborate with others to help make "progress quickly on this important issue".

He wrote to unions, including the Educational Institute of Scotland, Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association, and the NASUWT Scotland, to ask for ideas to reduce workloads ahead of a Scottish Government education summit.

The event in Edinburgh on Wednesday will see Mr Swinney and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon speak to teachers' representatives, young people, education experts, council leaders and opposition politicians.

The deputy first minister said: "In the last few weeks I have met many teachers and it is clear one of the key challenges to be addressed is teachers' workload.

"I took early action to reduce workload for teachers and ensure the greatest possible clarity around the curriculum. But I am keen to work with the teaching unions, local authorities, schools and other stakeholders to make further progress quickly on this important issue.

"That is why I have asked the teaching unions to provide me with their own specific, tangible ideas to reduce unnecessary workload for teachers and to de-clutter and streamline approaches in education."

With young people "at the heart of what we are trying to achieve" Mr Swinney stressed that suggestions should reflect the "key principles" of the Curriculum for Excellence reforms and also "protect the integrity of our national qualifications".

Mr Swinney said the summit would help shape a "bold education delivery plan" to be published by the end of June.

He spoke as educationalist Keir Bloomer criticised Scotland's school system for its "complacency" and said it can no longer be considered as "world-leading".

Mr Bloomer said there has been tendency for government to defend the sector, creating a culture of "self-congratulation" which must be addressed if improvements are to be made.

The former President of the Association of Directors of Education outlined his views on the state of Scottish education in a paper for think-tank Reform Scotland.

He said only the university sector in Scotland can still claim to be among the best in the world.

Mr Bloomer suggested that schools should be given more powers to self-govern.

He said: "There has been a very gradual increase in the powers devolved to schools. Their autonomy is greater than those in many countries, but much more requires to be done."

Scottish Conservative education spokeswoman Liz Smith said: ""Too many schools have been coasting along without real progress being made in basic skills and attainment levels.

"The Scottish Conservatives have long argued there needs to be much greater autonomy so that headteachers have the maximum facility to develop the leadership in their own schools without being constrained by policy from on high."

Labour leader Kezia Dugdale, who will attend Wednesday's meeting, said the summit "must be a spur to bold action", as she restated her proposal to raise extra cash by increasing the charge on high earners when Holyrood gets powers over income tax.

Ms Dugdale stated: "Under the SNP Government spending on education and skills has been cut by 10% - more than £860m. Hundreds of millions of pounds of cuts to local services like education are coming down the line. These are the cuts that will see fewer staff working in our schools and will hold back our young people."