Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 20 Nov 1986

Vol. 370 No. 1

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Issued of Examination Results.

12.

Mr. L. Fitzgerald

asked the Minister for Education if he is aware of the distress and disruption to the careers of students following courses leading to his Department's technological and trade certificate examinations by the excessive delays in the issue of results of these examinations; if he is aware that these delays also cause serious problems for the college offering courses in preparation for these examinations resulting in inefficiencies when classes have to be reformed following the issue of results several weeks after the commencement of courses; the reason his Department give the lowest priority to processing results and issuing of certificates for these courses; if he will give an assurance that in future the results of these examinations will be issued within ten weeks of their conclusion and the formal certificates confirming results within a further ten weeks after the issue of the results; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

34.

Mr. Hyland

asked the Minister for Education if his Department can improve procedures for issuing of results of secretarial examinations, i.e. Department of Education group certificate in secretarial studies and for the issue of the relevant certificates at a much earlier date than is the current practice.

Mr. Kenny

I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 34 together.

I am aware of complaints at the late issue of results this year in the technological and trade certificate examinations and also in the area of secretarial studies. In recent years, up to and including 1985, the results of the examinations referred to were issued at the end of September. The Deputies will recall that the work of the examinations branch of my Department was disrupted at an earlier stage this year and that any such disruption has a knock-on effect on all the operations of the branch. I appreciate, however, that the late issue of results and certificates can cause problems for candidates and for institutions, and I have instructed my Department to review their priorities and procedures with a view to ensuring that all results and certificates are available at an appropriate time in 1987 and in future years.

Mr. L. Fitzgerald

Is the Minister aware that the results of trade examinations for block release students for 1986 were not issued until the beginning of October, almost six months after the examination took place? By contrast the results of the leaving certificate examination were issued about 20 October. The processing of the trade and technological examinations has been given a low priority by the Department in recent times.

Mr. Kenny

The reason for the delay in issuing the results was due to the teachers' dispute. Priority was given to the running of the examinations in May and June and to the issuing of the results of these examinations. Traditionally, priority is given to those examinations which are perceived as being the ones for which results are most urgently required. In the case of the trade examinations, a large proportion of the candidates attend block release courses of study and from the point of view of further study would not require certificates for a considerable time after the examination. I have already instructed the examinations branch to examine priorities in this regard. It is proposed to computerise the examinations system beginning with the intermediate and leaving certificate examinations. I expect a significant advance in this area over the next year.

Mr. L. Fitzgerald

Is the Minister aware that the results are of critical importance to those going on to higher level courses. They are particularly important to those students who wish to compete for jobs. Without the evidence of a certificate they are placed at an extreme disadvantage. Last year certificates were made available in May after special pleas were made. That was almost 12 months after the examination. There was no teachers' strike then. It is not good enough.

Mr. Kenny

The aim of the branch is to issue all results by 1 September and certificates by 30 November. As regards the technical schools summer examinations, in 1983 they were issued on 29 September; in 1984 on 27 September and in 1985 on 26 September. The examinations branch have been instructed to examine their priorities in this regard and I hope the introduction of computerisation will enable the staff to issue the results on time.

Mr. L. Fitzgerald

To give them the same priority as the leaving certificate results?