Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 22 Jun 1999

Vol. 506 No. 5

Written Answers. - Leaving Certificate Examination.

Conor Lenihan

Question:

246 Mr. C. Lenihan asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the unease among parents and students in relation to the unannounced changes in the 1999 leaving certificate geography paper; and if he will review the matter with a degree of urgency. [15902/99]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

As the Deputy is aware, the content of leaving certificate and junior certificate examination papers has been the subject of much comment and analysis in the media in recent years. It is important that we view all such comment in a balanced way, having due regard for the need for validity, reliability and the maintenance of appropriate standards in our examination system.

As outlined in Rules and Programme for Secondary Schools 1998-99, "at senior level it is recommended that geography should be taught from motives which include, but which go beyond, the narrow and traditional objectives of imparting geographical knowledge and the training of students in the recall of facts".

The syllabus goes on to note that "the student should be taught to acquire facility in the use of the geographer's mode of inquiry and skills, namely the reading and interpretation of aerial photographs, maps, pictures, tables and graphs and other written sources of materials as well as an involvement in the field work process of observation and recording. Thus, while imparting a body of knowledge that is useful and meaningful to the student, the geography teacher must also be aware of his/her role in developing the student's appreciation of abstract concepts and in gaining the facility in such matters as comprehension, analysis, synthesis and the application of information".

Applying the above criteria, the examination paper in geography – higher level – for 1999 falls within the given parameters of the stated aims and teaching objectives of the programme. It is also noteworthy that all topics on the examination paper have been examined on previous occasions, while many topics have been asked on numerous occasions.

In the four days following the leaving certificate geography higher level examination on Monday 14 June, the examinations branch of my Department received about 15 telephone calls from parents, students and teachers in relation to this examination. Comments were varied in nature but concentrated on two areas. Concerns were expressed that the compulsory question one had been reduced from a three part to a two part question. There was also comment that, in the regional geography section, which contained four questions of which candidates had to answer one, the candidates were asked to divide a country into regions using one of five given countries as an example rather than allowing them to choose one country themselves from among the 14 countries stated in the syllabus. Callers were asked to put their complaints in writing and were told that all points made would be given full attention in the finalisation of the marking scheme at the examination conference.

As the Deputy will be aware this process involves a full analysis of the examination paper by the team of markers with a view to finalising a marking scheme appropriate to the paper. Due allowance is made in the marking of scripts where any shortcomings in a particular paper or in a particular question were identified through this process.

Apart from ensuring that this process takes place, the Deputy will, I hope, agree that it would be entirely inappropriate for me, as Minister, to intervene directly in the marking of scripts.