Schools Administration

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 January 2021

Thursday, 21 January 2021

Questions (190)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

Question:

190. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education if her Department has a policy, research reports or data on the use of mock exams in public schools; the prevalence of the use of mock exams; the average price of those exams; the estimated cost of funding such exams for all students in non-fee paying schools; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the cost of the mock exams is higher than that of the real exams; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3143/21]

Written answers

Minister for Education

Neither my Department nor the State Examinations Commission has any role in relation to the setting, running or marking of mock examinations. Decisions to hold mock examinations are taken by individual schools. The format of these examinations varies from school to school and not all schools run mock examinations. Schools that run mock examinations will themselves decide how these can be accommodated in the context of school closures.