Vol. 424 No. 2
17 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Education if, in view of his recent statement that examination results should be published, he will outline the examination results he wants published, the section of the media he wants the results furnished to, and the format in which he wants the results published.
My policy on the publication of examination results is that in the context of greater openness in the education sector aggregate results of the certificate examinations on a national basis should be published and openly discussed.
The Deputy will be aware, for example, that a full analysis of the 1991 Leaving Certificate results undertaken by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment at the request of my Department was published recently. This analysis was the subject of widespread publicity and positive debate.
Whereas aggregate data on pupil assessment is helpful in highlighting specific needs in the educational system, I am on record in this House as recently as last Friday as being opposed to the publication of individual school results in any form of "league table". I would consider that the individual school results are a matter for discussion between the board of management of a school and the parent body.
I welcome the Minister's reply. I am sure he would agree there is no demand from parents or schools for making public individual school results. If individual school results were published it would be grossly unfair, because it is almost impossible to compare like with like and some schools would be victimised because results may be misconstrued and misunderstood. I welcome the Minister's commitment that schools will not be compelled to publish their own results. At least that is my understanding of what the Minister has said.
I said that I was opposed to the publication of individual school results in any form of "league table". There is a proposal for debate in the Green Paper about what should go into the school report. I envisage that the school report would have performance on input and improvements made in the student body. Sports, drama music and many other areas will be covered in the school report. The proposal in the Green Paper is that it would also include examination results.
A brief question, please. The Deputy is proceeding by way of statement rather than by questions.
Does that include a profile on each individual student?
No, it would not identify individual students.
I am calling Deputy Gilmore for a brief question.
I am confused about whether examination results are to be published. Can the Minister clarify what will be the circulation of the school report, in which apparently a school will be required to set down the results achieved in examinations? It seems to me that is publication of the results. Whereas nobody may be publishing a league table, league tables will be quickly established in local communities by people establishing what differences they have got.
It is all part of the debate on the Green Paper which is taking place at present throughout the country. That is one of the items we have to finally resolve. The Green Paper is quite specific on what should be contained in the Green Paper. When the debate is over we can make a final decision on the format of the school report.
I am calling Question No. 18.
May I ask the Minister——
It has to be very brief.
——for an assurance that the publication of examination results, either in global form or however they may eventually emerge in the school report, has absolutely nothing whatever to do with his enterprise culture type of competitive cutting edge that seems to be envisaged in a new philosophy of education?
When I spoke in the Seanad this morning I explained what I meant by enterprise culture. I am prepared to stand over that definition. I trust it is a wider definition than the one being portrayed. The school reports are a very specific item, and they are being discussed at length. I do not want to preempt the outcome of that debate at this stage.
