The introduction of new qualifications in Scotland has led to an "unintended and unsustainable" workload for pupils and teachers, a review has concluded.
The expert group set up by the Scottish Government in January has made a series of recommendations to tackle the "very real pressures" on teachers in the wake of Curriculum for Excellence reforms.
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New Education Secretary John Swinney said he will implement the report's recommendations in full and take immediate steps to cut workloads.
The establishment of the working group followed an indicative ballot by the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) in which more than 93% of members said they would be willing to take some kind of action over ''excessive and unsustainable'' workloads.
The union opened a statutory industrial action ballot for secondary teachers on Tuesday after expressing disappointment with the review.
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In its report, the group said: "At present, aspects of the introduction of new national qualifications have involved an unintended and unsustainable level of work for learners and teachers.
"The group has reflected on previous innovations in Scotland and recognises the need to take action to address the very real pressures on teachers, but to do so in a way that avoids taking action to address short-term issues that lead to longer term problems."
As a result of the discussions, the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) will act to reduce the volume of reassessment and recording, cut bureaucracy, remove unnecessary duplication and carry out a review of quality assurance arrangements relating to the new qualifications.
Education Scotland has also issued "clear, specific and succinct" advice to secondary schools, and will work with the SQA to increase the support available to teachers.
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The report noted that teaching unions and the SQA had called for further action but the group had been unable to agree "given the implications for the credibility and integrity of the qualifications and the impact on certification".
Making his first parliamentary speech as Education Secretary, Mr Swinney said he had asked Education Scotland chief executive Bill Maxwell to immediately write to schools with the required guidance.
He told MSPs that he had met Scotland's chief examiner Dr Janet Brown to discuss additional measures to reduce teacher workload, and would continue to meet with her on a monthly basis.
Mr Swinney said: "Closing the attainment gap and improving attainment across education in Scotland - in other words the pursuit of equity and excellence - will be the driving purpose of my tenure as Education Secretary.
"One of the significant concerns I have heard is about teacher workload as a consequence of change within the education system. I am going to act today to reduce that workload as my first step to improving the performance of Scotland's schools."
Mr Swinney said he had been advised by the chief examiner that the proposed changes "go as far as they can at this stage".
He said: "To go further would reduce the value, and damage the integrity of, our national qualifications that could create risks to their secure delivery. I cannot jeopardise the ability of young people to obtain the qualifications to which they are entitled."
Mr Swinney continued: "I hope there will be a recognition that within my first week in office I have acted decisively to address issues in front of me to reduce teacher workload and strengthen Scottish education."
However, teaching unions said the actions did not go far enough and insisted ballots for strike action would continue.
Seamus Searson, general secretary of the SSTA, said: "We have seen the reports and the actions proposed and they do not go far enough hence the call for a ballot.
"The measures in most cases are for the future and teachers need space now and we would have hoped the Cabinet Secretary would have spoken to the unions to see if these measures would relieve the pressure.
"We call on the government and the employers to meet the unions to try address the workload issue as soon as possible."
The EIS welcomed the statement but warned the measures did not go far enough.
Larry Flanagan, general secretary of the EIS, said: "The identification and removal of unnecessary duplication in assessment was originally promised in August 2014, and now we are told it won’t be delivered until 2017 or 2018.
"We continue to believe that much more needs to be done to streamline SQA requirements and lighten the excessive assessment load that continues to be piled onto teachers and pupils."
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