Nine schools in the north and north-east will be the latest to benefit from a multimillion pound Scottish Government fund to improve attainment.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced an expansion of the £100million initiative so that it will now cover more than 300 schools.
Five Highland primary schools – Merkinch, Milton, Coulhill, Bishop Eden, and South in Wick – will be among the recipients of extra cash.
The Aberdeen schools earmarked for additional support are Riverbank, Manor Park, Tullos and Bramble Brae.
“My aim – to put it bluntly – is to close the attainment gap completely,” Ms Sturgeon said in a speech in Edinburgh.
“It will not be done overnight – I accept that. But it must be done. After all, its existence is more than just an economic and social challenge for us all. It is a moral challenge.
“Indeed, I would argue that it goes to the very heart of who we are and how we see ourselves as a nation.”
Each school in the programme is understood to be in line for an extra five-figure sum of funding.
Labour councillor Angela Taylor, education convener in Aberdeen, said that was not sufficient.
“Whilst Aberdeen City Council welcomes any financial assistance, it doesn’t go far enough to address the issues we’re suffering here around teacher recruitment and retention,” she said.
Mark McDonald, SNP MSP for Aberdeen Donside, welcomed the investment.
“It is very welcoming news that Bramble Brae and Manor Park school within my constituency will be benefiting from additional funding and will be among 57 schools across Scotland accessing the £100 million Attainment Scotland Fund,” he said.
“The funding available will assist with narrowing the attainment gap in schools and has specifically been targeted to benefit pupils in areas with the highest level of poverty.”