Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 18 Feb 1999

Vol. 500 No. 6

Written Answers. - Leaving Certificate Examination.

Trevor Sargent

Question:

133 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress, if any, being made in establishing a workable and accountable continuous assessment system for the leaving certificate applied and the leaving certificate vocational programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4720/99]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

The leaving certificate applied examination already has a workable and accountable system of continuous assessment. The programme is modular in nature. The examination is based on a credit system, with a maximum of 100 credits. For the present cohort these credits can be accumulated as follows: satisfactory completion of modules (based on completion of key assignments), 40 credits; credit for student tasks taken at four stages over the two year programme, 27 credits; and final examinations, 33 credits.

Therefore, there is assessment at many different stages over two years. The range of assessment modes also includes orals, aurals, and practical work.

The leaving certificate vocational programme has a workable and accountable assessment sys tem mainly based on the system which applies for the six or seven leaving certificate subjects usually taken by pupils who follow the programme. In addition the students are assessed in the three link modules – preparation for work, work experience and enterprise education – by means of assessment of a portfolio of course work over two years (60 per cent) and a terminal written examination (40 per cent).

Many students take two to three technical leaving certificate subjects and these are assessed by means of practical or project examinations in addition to final written examinations. Examinations in Irish and in those modern languages studied involve oral, aural and written assessments.