Brendan Howlin
Ceist:109 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Education if mechanisms will be instituted next year to bring about early examination results and speedy rechecks of examination papers where required.
Written Answers. - Examination Results Procedures.
Joe Sherlock
Ceist:158 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Education if she will indicate her target dates for the publication of leaving certificate and intermediate certificate results, in light of the computerisation of examination results and the concern expressed about the delays in publishing last year's results; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 109 and 158 together.
The recent introduction of computeristation has already improved, and will improve over the next few years, many aspects of the work of the Examinations Branch of my Department.
The major benefits in 1989 were (1) the intermediate certificate results which issued on 22 September was one week earlier than the results which issued in 1988, (2) the early publication of detailed examination statistics and (3) the earlier issue of certificates.
The number of candidates taking the certificate examinations has increased by 27 per cent approximately since 1980 and this has, of course, resulted in an increase in the number of candidates' scripts to be corrected. In 1989 approximately 1.3 million scripts were processed. Given that the examiners appointed to correct the candidates' scripts must still be given a reasonable length of time to complete this work, there is little scope for issuing the leaving certificate results any earlier than at present. The Deputy can be assured that full use will be made of computerisation to have the results available at the earliest possible date. This will include issuing a separate results sheet for every candidate in addition to the list of results issued to each school. The latter is a further benefit made possible in 1989 because of computerisation.
While I cannot give a precise date for the issue of the intermediate certificate results in 1990, I can assure the Deputies that it will be much earlier than heretofore.
With regard to rechecks, every effort is made to expedite the review of results. The process of having a review completed necessarily takes time particularly as many of the examiners concerned will by that stage have resumed their other duties after the summer vacation period.