Vol. 492 No. 7
60 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Science the number and nature of suggestions made in relation to junior certificate science in the matter of the detailed reports of science examiners in 1997; the number acted upon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14991/98]
Examiners make a valuable contribution in the further development of the draft marking scheme both at the marking conference and also during the early stages of the marking process leading to the refinement, if any, of the marking scheme before its application to the work of all candidates.
At the end of the marking process each examiner submits a comprehensive report on the answering of the candidates to the chief advising examiner who prepares a composite report for the chief examiner. The chief examiners prepare an annual report for each of those subjects at both levels. Appropriate comments in relation to the answering of questions, format, style and type of questions are given full attention by the chief examiners in the preparation of papers in subsequent years.
In relation to the 1997 junior certificate science examination the comments were broadly along these lines but also included suggestions on clarification of diagrams and improvement of layout. These have all been acted upon.
