Vol. 548 No. 2
405 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason the junior certificate metal work projects are not returned to the students and schools from Athlone or alternatively examined in the schools; and if he will address this issue in order that a new approach will be put in place for the junior certificate for 2002. [4208/02]
Every year, my Department receives for examination more than 1.5 million scripts, practical pieces and other test products. It is not logistically feasible to facilitate the return of this quantity of examination material to candidates and, in the interests of fairness and equity, I could not return metalwork projects to candidates and retain material from other candidates who took art, engineering and other examinations.
The optimum solution to the issues raised by the Deputy lies in realigning the assessment arrangements in subjects such as metalwork that generate artefacts. At present, the practical pieces in a number of subjects are examined in individual schools and consequently there are no logistical difficulties involved in returning the material. There are, however, short-term storage issues for the schools, which make it difficult to expand the number of subjects where the schools retain the material to include subjects like metalwork.
My officials are reviewing the arrangements in consultation with the relevant interests, including school management bodies, in order to progress these issues on a consensus basis.
