asked the Minister for Education if he has received complaints regarding the unfair content and range of this year's leaving certificate higher course biology examination paper.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Leaving Certificate Papers.
22.
Mr. R. Burke
Certain complaints which were received in this regard are being brought to the attention of the Department's chief examiner in biology and will be taken into account in connection with the marking of the answer-books.
Would the Minister be prepared to indicate at this stage that he will accept that questions were set on aspects of the course on which the students had not received tuition?
Mr. R. Burke
The question of the provision of tuition depends entirely on the authorities of the school. I have no information available to me which would indicate that in respect of any particular school the authorities did not complete the course.
The fact that the Minister would not have information available to him would not prevent him making inquiries on behalf of the students who must be assumed to be suffering. He appreciates that it would be very wrong to set questions on a course, or on an aspect of a course, on which the students had not received tuition. If that is so, it is a very serious matter.
Mr. R. Burke
Indeed it may be a serious matter but it is not one that I can readily rectify. It is a matter for the educational authorities whether or not they complete the course.
Am I to take it, then, from the Minister that he does not accept any responsibility for the interest of the students, or indeed of their parents, in the matter of examinations presented to them?
Mr. R. Burke
I have already answered the Deputy by saying that, in view of the complaints which have been received in regard to the biology paper, the attention of the Department's chief examiner has been drawn to it and that these complaints will be taken into account in the appropriate manner.
Has the Minister any evidence that questions on the biology paper were set from outside the syllabus?
Mr. R. Burke
I have no such evidence.
23.
asked the Minister for Education the number of students who took higher course papers in the subject Gaeilge in this year's leaving certificate examination.
Mr. R. Burke
The number of candidates who took the higher level paper in the subject Gaeilge in the 1974 leaving certificate examination was 8,781.