asked the Minister for Education if he will take steps to ensure that the Educational Research Centre, Drumcondra, Dublin, will supply all teachers with the results of their attainment and ability tests; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Educational Research Centre.
247.
The Educational Research Centre was established to carry out research in education. Their main function is to provide research findings that may be of use either in the formation of educational policy or in the teaching-learning process. Their primary function, therefore, is not to provide a service to individual teachers or pupils. However, where the provision of such a service is not incompatible with their research function, the centre have always attempted to provide it. Thus, for example, it has been normal practice for the centre to provide information to teachers on pupils' performance on ability and attainment tests administered in the course of research projects except when the provision of such information would interfere with the objectives of particular research studies. Teachers are informed whether or not it will be possible to provide information on individual pupils or classes before the commencement of a project.