The Scottish Government has been criticised for not providing extra funding to try and raise attainment in schools across the north and north-east.
Liberal Democrat and Labour MSPs said they were disappointed that only local authorities in the central belt, aside from Dundee, would benefit from a share of a £100million fund aimed at assisting children from poor backgrounds.
They pointed out there were pockets of deprivation in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray and the Highlands and islands.
Education Secretary Angela Constance has announced that Glasgow, Dundee, Inverclyde, West Dunbartonshire, North Ayrshire, Clackmannanshire and North Lanarkshire councils would be the first beneficiaries of the fund.
She claimed the money – which will be released over four years – would be used to improve literacy, numeracy, health and wellbeing in primary schools.
North-east Labour MSP Richard Baker said: “Once again the government has not recognised the fact that areas of Aberdeen have deprivation and are as worthy of this funding as other parts of Scotland.
“Of course it is welcome that funds are being used to improve attainment for all but surely pupils in the north-east should be able to benefit.”
Lib Dem education spokesman Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, claimed the government had “abandoned” poorer pupils in rural areas by selecting areas of poverty rather than individuals in poverty for extra help.
“We want to see funds allocated in a way which targets the pupil rather than the school or neighbourhood,” he added.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has acknowledged that deprivation could be found in areas that are widely regarded as affluent such as Aberdeen – the oil capital of Europe.
But she said: “There are some parts of the country, and exam pass statistics bear this out, where they are more deeply ingrained challenges.
“These are the areas where there is the biggest concentration of households in deprived areas.
“We would want to move through other areas in the future as well so it is about starting where the problem is biggest.”