asked the Minister for Education whether a student sitting for the leaving certificate examination, cannot take applied mathematics and Italian as both examinations take place, at the same time on the same day; and if there are other cases of a similar nature.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Certificate Examinations.
43.
One candidate in each of three separate centres has opted to take both Italian and applied mathematics at this year's leaving certificate examination.
The examinations in these subjects are listed for the morning of 23rd June, and arrangements are being made to enable the three candidates to take one examination in the morning and the second examination in the afternoon of that day.
44.
andMr. E. Collins asked the Minister for Education if he will make provision for a special examination for a pupil (name supplied) and other pupils who have subjects the examination times of which coincide for the group certificate and leaving certificate.
The group certificate examination is normally taken after two years study in a post-primary school and the leaving certificate examination after five years of such study. In matters such as time-tabling there could be no question of relating one examination to the other.
Is the Minister aware that in this particular case the pupil named did in fact take these two examinations which happened to be on the same day? The parents have a right to be accommodated to some extent when their children take courses of study.
As I pointed out, one examination is taken roughly at the age of 14 and the other after five years post-primary study. If we were to try to make accommodation in relation to a matter such as this in regard to a considerable number of subjects we would be in a very difficult position.
45.
asked the Minister for Education (a) if he will state in detail the arrangements made to collect the intermediate and leaving certificate examination papers throughout the country at Garda stations; (b) the farthest distance examination superintendents will have to travel after collecting their papers from the Garda stations; (c) if the papers will have to be collected each morning at the Garda stations and if the examination superintendents will have to travel back to the examination centre; (d) if the arrangements made for this year will involve any extra cost to his Department; (e) why his Department changed the system which was in operation last year whereby Garda stations in each town in which there was an examination centre took charge of the papers each day; and if he will make a full statement on the matter.
The arrangements for the distribution of the boxes of examination papers for the intermediate and leaving certificate examinations, and for their retention in Garda stations during the period of the examinations are of a confidential nature, and I do not consider that it would be in the public interest to make a statement in regard to them.
46.
asked the Minister for Education if, in view of the fact that he has raised the school leaving age to 15 years, he will take steps to ensure that all students sit for the intermediate certificate; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
It is a matter for each school authority to decide whether or not to enter pupils for the intermediate certificate examination, and I do not propose to make any change in the present practice.
I regard this as a very important matter. Would the Minister not agree that it would be a very good thing for a child to pursue a course up to the age of 15 years? He has recently raised the minimum age for leaving school to 15 years. Since it should be possible to have the child go through the intermediate course and to sit for the examination would he consider taking steps to formulate such a policy which would be very beneficial to a large number of children in this country?
I think I have made a worthwhile step in raising the school leaving age to 15. I could not take responsibility for insisting that each child should do the intermediate certificate examination. I pointed out that each school authority decides this and this is enshrined in the rules and regulations for post-primary schools.
In regard to the rules and regulations, has the Minister thought about the recent one which has been imposed whereby a boy or girl of 14 years is not permitted to sit for the intermediate examination?
The position is that we regard the best transfer age from the primary to the post-primary as being 12 years. There is a three year intermediate certificate examination course which means that the student would be approximately 15 when doing the intermediate examination.
Why impose this rule? It has only been imposed recently. The Minister is aware of this.
I have gone into this in very considerable detail in my reply to the Estimate. I have pointed out that we have examined the whole situation in relation to the transfer from primary to post-primary. We have looked at the situation in other countries and we have come to the conclusion that this is the best transfer age.
Question No. 47. Could we move on with Questions before 5 o'clock.?
This is an important question.
There are other Deputies who have questions.
There are other Deputies who have questions which have been down for a long time. There are children of 14 years in the intermediate certificate class and by virtue of this rigid rule they will be held back. This can have a bad psychological effect on children. Could he not impose it less rigidly? It will not make any great difference if there are children of 14 years in the intermediate certificate class and would he allow them do the examination?
In my belief it would make a difference.
I am sure the Minister is aware that this was done at 14 years until recently. Is that not right?
I think we all welcome the Minister's recent decision to raise the school leaving age to 15 and we fully support it. Would he not agree that relatively few of the children of this country do not, in effect, do the intermediate certificate examination and that those who do not are not able to do so because their parents cannot afford to have them in school? In view of the very few who do not do the examination would the Minister take some action to implement the policy to enable children to do the intermediate examination? I am not terribly impressed with the rules and regulations of his Department, as he probably knows, but I feel this is an important issue. It is not political and I feel it is deserving of serious consideration.
I am not suggesting it is political. The point I am making is that I do not feel it would be proper to make that change.
Were they not until recently permitted to do the intermediate certificate?
May I ask one supplementary.
No. I am calling Question No. 47. We have a tremendous number of questions.
The Department of Education, which professes to be so modern, knows that the right age for children to leave primary school is 11 years, not 12, or has that not percolated to this modern Department yet?
The Deputy knows I have made a much deeper study of this than he has.
I know more about it than some of the people in the Department of Education.
Will the Deputy please resume his seat and allow Questions to continue?
(Interruptions.)
This matter has been discussed on numerous occasions in this House.
There is dissatisfaction with it.
It is typical of the dictatorship of the Department of Education.