Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 November 2004
4 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science if a system of standardised testing is still to be introduced at primary level; the details of the uses which will be made of the information to be gathered through such testing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30790/04]
View answerI do not intend to make any decisions with regard to introducing standardised testing in primary schools until after I have carried out a thorough exploration of all the issues relating to the announcement made by my predecessor last July. I am awaiting advice on the matter which the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment is preparing, through its usual consultative and partnership processes. I expect this early in 2005. Then I will be in a position to engage in further consultations, as appropriate, with the relevant partners, including teachers and parents.
Since decisions have yet to be made with regard to standardised testing in primary schools, it is too early to give details of the uses that will be made of test information. Furthermore, it would be inappropriate to pre-empt the advice that I have yet to receive. However, I give my assurances that it is not my Department's intention to use the results of standardised tests for the following purposes: to compile school league tables; as a stand-alone criterion to determine the allocation of resources to individual pupils and individual schools; or as a stand-alone criterion to measure the effectiveness of individual teachers and schools.
The judicious use of standardised test results has high value as one of a range of modes of assessment in helping teachers make more informed decisions as regards the instruction of pupils, in informing parents of their child's progress and in providing information essential to the identification of pupils who may require additional support. At classroom level, information from standardised tests can be particularly useful in informing individual and group teaching. The fact that more than 95% of our primary schools use such tests in some way is testimony to the value that our teachers ascribe to them. Standardised test results also have an important role to play at the level of the whole school as they provide valuable information for teachers, principals and boards of management when engaging in self-evaluation, a vitally important stage in planning the development and improvement of the individual school.
At national level there is need for more regular information than is available on trends in pupil progress and on levels of achievement within our education system. We now have an opportunity to explore the potential of systematised standardised testing in this regard. I believe that a considered and balanced policy on standardised testing will benefit pupils, teachers, parents and policy makers.
I am pleased to hear the INTO statement that it supports the development of an agreed national assessment policy for primary schools and that it will work positively with me to introduce forms of assessment that are appropriate to the learning needs of pupils and the information needs of the system. I look forward to engaging with it as one of the partners in my consultations on standardised testing.
How long does the Minister expect her exploration of the issues to last? I am glad she is taking proper advice on this issue and is not just following on the announcement made by her predecessor, Deputy Noel Dempsey, as I am not too sure what advice was behind that. The Minister for Finance, Deputy Cowen, told us today, when speaking on the Estimates, the amount of money to be provided to tackle literacy. Obviously it cannot be tackled if we do not know the base line from which we start. While I am concerned at testing children too young, we must have some base line from which to start. I am aware that schools are testing at present. What use has the Department been making of the information being provided by schools? The information is there and better use could be made of it in the interim. Will the Minister consider that? My question, however, is when she expects to make a more formal and firm decision on this issue.
I, too, am concerned about rushing into a system that might put pressure on students, parents and in particular very young children in the primary school system before we work out what type of tests to use, how they are to be implemented and to what use they are to be put. I accept what Deputy Enright is saying. Information is enormously valuable, particularly as regards literacy. That is why we all accept good use can be made of the tests. While I stated that 95% of teachers are using these tests, not all teachers in a school do the same testing, however, or even use the same test. That is why we need to work with all the partners involved to evaluate how the best use may be made of the information available.
This is very valuable in terms of reaching our targets under the national anti-poverty strategy and for targeting resources for literacy. However, under no circumstances will tests be a stand-alone criterion on that. I have asked the NCCA to come back to me early in the new year because I see it as a priority to achieve progress on this issue, in consultation with all the partners.
