Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 13 Apr 2000

Vol. 518 No. 2

Written Answers. - State Examinations.

Pat Carey

Question:

149 Mr. P. Carey asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in a recent circular issued by his Department in relation to the conduct of the leaving and junior certificate examinations, certificates will bear a comment on the reverse side stating that reading and writing skills were not tested in this particular examination and will carry an asterisk on subjects where this happened; his views on whether this is demeaning to students involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11266/00]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

The report and recommendations of the expert advisory group on certificate examinations in relation to the arrangements for the assessment of candidates with special needs in certificate examinations were published recently. This followed lengthy consultation and consideration by the group of this complex and difficult area.

The group recognised that there are cases where many of the elements of a subject that are marked in the examination are accessible to a student but some, because of a particular difficulty the student has, are not. An example is the aural component of a language subject that may not be accessible to a student with a hearing impairment. The group pointed out that it is reasonable that the student sit for examination in the components of the subject in which achievement is possible and that he-she be exempted from the specific and identifiable component. What this means is that the national standard for assessment should be modified to accommodate the student and this modification is enabled by including an explanatory note with the results.

These measures make the examination system more flexible and responsive to the needs of students who would otherwise have difficulty with some examination subjects because of their special needs. This represents a significant advance in the inclusiveness of the examination system.

In implementing these measures my Department will of course confine any explanatory note to the assessment issue involved. In fact the circular to which the Deputy refers made clear that any explanatory note will provide detail only on how the assessment procedure was altered in the subject concerned. It will not record or make any reference to the nature of the candidate's disability.