Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 12 Mar 1997

Vol. 476 No. 3

Written Answers. - Special Examination Arrangements.

Liam Aylward

Question:

112 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Education her views on the refusal by her Department to the appeal by a school principal on behalf of two children (details supplied) in County Kilkenny, who have specific learning difficulties, for special arrangements while sitting their junior certificate examinations in June 1997, in view of the fact that these children were never interviewed by the investigator who called to the school in June 1996, when a number of other children were assessed on that occasion; and if she will have arrangements made to allow them to do the exams on tape. [7073/97]

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

My Department has for many years made special arrangements in the certificate examination for candidates who would have difficulty in communicating what they know to an examiner because of physical and sensory disabilities, including visual and hearing impairments, or because of a specific learning difficulty.

The special arrangements are intended to remove, as far as possible, the impact of the disability on the candidate's performance and thus enable the candidate to demonstrate his or her level of attainment. They are also intended to ensure that, whilst giving candidates every opportunity to demonstrate their level of attainment, the special arrangements will not give the candidate an unfair advantage over other candidates in the same examination.

In the case of the candidates referred to by the Deputy, the position is that their school applied for special examinations arrangements on the grounds that they are affected by a specific learning difficulty. The applications, together with supporting documentation, were considered by a Department psychologist. The psychologist expressed the opinion, based on all the evidence presented, that the learning difficulties of the candidates arose from their level of general ability and were not due to specific difficulties in reading or in writing. It was concluded, in the circumstances, that the candidates were not eligible for special arrangements in the examinations.

This decision was conveyed to the candidates' school on 6 November 1996. The school appealed, by letter dated 11 December 1996, to the special arrangements appeals committee, renewing their application for a person to read the questions to the candidates and for the use by the candidates of a tape recorder to record their answers.

The special arrangements appeals committee is an independent body of five persons, consisting of two officers of my Department and three members from outside my Department, including the chairperson. After reviewing all the evidence, the committee concluded that the candidates are not eligible for special arrangements in the examinations.

I should add that a recent psychological report, where available, is requested by my Department as part of the application process for special arrangements based on the existence of a specific learning difficulty. Since a detailed report from a clinical psychologist was submitted in support of each application, in relation to assessments carried out in January 1995, it was decided that there was no need to carry out a further assessment.

I should further add that the school has been assured that every possible effort will be made to mark the candidates' work reliably in accordance with the marking scheme and to ensure that they are given full credit for all work done. The school has also been informed, in this connection, that the examiners to whom the candidates' scripts are assigned for correction will be informed of the school's concern regarding the readability of their work and will be instructed, if they have difficulty in reading the scripts, to send them to an examiner who is more experienced in marking work which is difficult to read because of misspellings, bad handwriting, poor grammar, etc.