Seán Crowe
Question:351 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Science the consultations he has had in regard to changes he is considering proposing to the ban on publishing school league tables. [11397/04]
View answerTuesday, 27 April 2004
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Written answers
It is desirable that parents have information about schools that is meaningful, fair and fully rounded. I do not support the form of league table, which has come into being in the absence of a well-constructed alternative. We are all aware that league tables based solely on academic results are a flawed measure of the effectiveness and quality of schools.
It is not enough to say what we are against. We must also discuss what we want. To this end I propose to initiate a debate on the issue. To start and inform the process I have asked the OECD directorate of education to provide me with comparative materials from other countries on this issue. This will provide examples of practice. As well as the comparative analysis, I envisage that appropriate consultations on this issue will take place at a later date.