Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 31 Jan 2002

Vol. 547 No. 2

Written Answers. - State Examinations.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

180 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Science the steps he has taken to prevent variations in the marking of junior and leaving certificate examination papers in the future thereby avoiding a recurrence of certain events in 2001; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3067/02]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

Training and monitoring procedures are put into operation during the initial marking of the examination material presented by examination candidates in order to ensure that all the personnel involved are operating consistently in accordance with the agreed marking schemes. This quality assurance process continues thereafter and, if the work of any examiner continues to cause concern, the entire work of that examiner may be re-marked before the results are issued to candidates.

Our examination system and its marking processes is one of the most transparent in the world. We have led the way internationally, grounding our approach on the publication of the detailed marking schemes that have been used by examiners and by giving candidates the facility to view their marked scripts. Those initiatives in trans parency underpin the quality agenda as candidates are empowered to examine how their scripts were marked in line with the marking scheme that operated for all candidates. Any candidate who has a concern in relation to an examination result can then make an informed decision in relation to an appeal.

During the appeals process, the scripts are re-marked in accordance with the agreed marking schemes and while the appeal process is candidate specific it is also used as a further quality assurance measure in relation to the work of examiners generally. The policy therefore is to have robust quality assurance measures in place at all stages of the initial marking and subsequent appeal processes.

These processes are reviewed and refined on an ongoing basis. However, as I stated in my press release on 20 December 2001, announcing the upgrades resulting from the re-marking of the work of an examiner in leaving certificate business, I considered it timely to request my senior officials to convene a working group, chaired by Dr. Carl Ó Dálaigh, deputy chief inspector, to conduct a comprehensive review of all aspects of the monitoring and quality assurance procedures for the marking of examination components. I also decided that this group should involve some inspectors who are chief examiners as well as teachers who have considerable experience as chief advising and advising examiners.

The working group will report by the end of March 2002 and will issue recommendations on any further improvements in quality control and assurance procedures that could be put in place to ensure the correct and equitable marking of examination material.