asked the Minister for Education if he is aware of statements that there is a high incidence of tension among young people who are sitting for departmental examinations; and if he will have the matter investigated with a view to improving the educational system and thereby reducing the tension.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Examination Tensions.
5.
A certain degree of tension is, unfortunately, inseparable from any system of public examinations. My Department have constantly under review methods of improving the educational system with a view to minimising tension in this regard and the present Government have taken practical steps in the matter, for example, the abolition of compulsory Irish from the certificate examinations in May, 1973, and the award of a certificate to every candidate taking part in these examinations as from 1973.
Is the Minister aware that the incidence of tension among young people is higher than before? I do not believe that the abolition of compulsory Irish from examinations has had any effect. Would the Minister consider changing the system to fit the student rather than requiring the student to fit the system? We must have a broader look at the examination system rather than make piecemeal changes. At present there is a high incidence of tension and drastic steps should be taken in the matter.
I do not disagree entirely with what the Deputy has said. The incidence of tension in our lives is much higher than it was in our parents' lives and this affects students in competition for university places. This year we might see all kinds of tension in this House——
We can deal with that.
The Deputy can see from the relaxed look on the faces of people on this side of the House that we have no problem in dealing with it. I am not sure what the Deputy means by changing the system to fit the pupil rather than the reverse. I am not aware that the pupils have been changed in any way to fit the system. Of course, there is more competition for university places than was the case 20 years ago and that produces an element of competition which means that students have to work much harder. Of course, this includes a certain amount of tension. There have been many suggestions about forms of examinations as a means of assessing students but I am not sure that a better system than the examination system has been brought forward.
I think we regard the examination system as a sacred cow which must not be touched. We will have to look much deeper at the whole system.
It has been suggested that continual assessment might be considered but there are tremendous practical difficulties. As the Deputy knows, in the last few years there have been oral examinations with regard to languages and this may have helped. I should think there is as much tension attached to an oral examination as to a written examination but as speaking may come more naturally to us than writing, perhaps oral examinations are a little easier on students than written examinations. There is tension attached to any examination or test and there is no point in pretending there is not. It does not matter if it is students, adults or people going for interviews for jobs, there is tension.
It depends on the student.
Maybe that is so and perhaps some students are better able to deal with it than others.
Would the Minister consider making the answer papers available to students who think they have done very badly? This would in some way reduce some of the tension following the examination.
Does the Deputy mean make their papers available to them?
Yes, to see how they made mistakes and where they went wrong.
There are a lot of practical difficulties about that. The position has been that where a student knows he did not do as well as he felt he should have done then there is a method of reassessing him. It is done through the schools for pretty obvious practical reasons.
Is the Minister aware that his colleague, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Taoiseach, adopts this system, which I think is an excellent one and one which should be made available to all pupils? It must be nearly a constitutional right now. The Minister should have a chat with him about it.
I cannot remember the figure but I think we are dealing with almost 100,000 students. The Parliamentary Secretary to the Taoiseach was dealing with a class of 20.
100,000 would not fail.
That is correct.
Would the Minister consider that supervisors going out to examination halls should be asked to set the students at ease and only be concerned with situation where students might copy? Apart from that they could inform the students on examination day that they do not have to be as disciplined as, unfortunately, the impression is given. A certain amount of relaxation could be brought into the examination hall without being prejudicial to the spirit of the examination.
I hope that what the Deputy says already happens, that supervisors who go to supervise examinations—their prime objective is to see that there is no cheating—create an atmosphere that brings out the best in students and makes them more relaxed so that they can present the best side of themselves in examinations. I would be very happy if that situation was brought about.
Questions Nos. 6 and 7 postponed.