asked the Minister for Education if his Department will make arrangements to have the results of the intermediate and leaving certificate examinations in the Summer announced earlier to facilitate parents and others in making arrangements with colleges for the opening season.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Publication of Examination Results.
98.
In a reply which I gave on 29th November, 1961, to a question concerning the date of issue of the results of the Primary and Intermediate Certificate Examinations, I explained that my first concern is as far as possible to ensure uniform and proper marking in all examinations which are my responsibility. I stated that the numbers of candidates at the Intermediate and Leaving Certificate Examinations this year were 16,217 and 10,036 respectively, entailing the marking of over 300,000 scripts and that it was not easy to see how, with the great and increasing number of candidates at the Intermediate and Leaving Certificate Examinations, it would be possible to have reliable results under the present system issued appreciably earlier than is done now. I am fully satisfied that it is only by very strenuous efforts on the part of all concerned that it is possible to have the Leaving Certificate results issued early in August and these followed early in September by the Intermediate Certificate results.
Would the Minister consider the advisability of using a bigger staff so that he might get the examination results out a little earlier? It is very essential for parents to know how their children are doing.
It is an obvious supposition that a bigger staff would give earlier results but I am concerned with accuracy as well. At the present time, we are at our maximum staff.