I established a working group to review all aspects of the syllabus and examination for the scrúdú le haghaidh cáilíochta sa Ghaeilge in 2001. A copy of its report has been published on my Department's website. An updated language syllabus for the SCG has also been published on my Department's website together with an examination handbook, with sample questions and answers, and will shortly appear in book form. A literature textbook is in preparation and will be produced in 2004.
It has also been decided that Coláiste Mhuire, Marino, will act as a central co-ordinating and managing authority for the SCG. The college will provide a much greater range of courses and the courses are to be delivered at two levels for those close to the required standard and those at a less advanced level. My Department is currently engaged in finalising new arrangements relating to the scrúdú le haghaidh cáilíochta sa Ghaeilge and details of these new arrangements will shortly be published on my Department's website.
I introduced some changes to the SCG examination last year. It may be incorrect to claim that these changes have contributed to an increase in the number of teachers from other jurisdictions who wish to join our education system. Some 417 candidates applied to sit for the most recent sitting of the SCG examination in April 2004 as compared with 308 applicants in April 2003.
The latest available statistics are for the October 2003 examination and are as follows:
|
Paper 1
|
Paper 2
|
Aural
|
Oral
|
|
No. of candidates:
|
168
|
142
|
174
|
152
|
|
No. who passed:
|
52
|
54
|
52
|
52
|
|
No. who failed:
|
116
|
88
|
122
|
100
|
