Vol. 487 No. 2
9 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Education and Science his views on whether reviews of certificate examinations by the NCCA should include the appointment of international assessors for their views on Irish standards of subjects and, in particular, to benchmark Irish standards against those in other countries. [3610/98]
Since the early 1990s the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment has undertaken reviews of the certificate examinations in conjunction with the Education Research Centre, St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra. This analysis deals mainy with subject choice, percentage participation by males/females and pattern of grades across subjects etc. International benchmarking has not been a feature of these reviews.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Education (No. 2) Bill, which is currently before this House, will place the NCCA on a statutory basis. In this context my Department will discuss further with this body its approach to all aspects of its work programmes including issues such as that raised by the Deputy in his question.
On a broader level, I feel that there is a real value in international comparisons of standards. Ireland is participating in an OECD project beginning in the year 2000 on the achievement of 15 year olds in reading, science and mathematics. This will be the first occasion in which direct comparison will be possible in three key curricular areas at 15 years of age, an age when the vast majority of pupils sit the junior certificate examination.
