Mr. Michael Gillespie:

On the first question on external validation, the SEC has a tremendous reputation and can change, as we saw over the past two years, quickly. If we move towards second components of assessment that can test or check how people are progressing and learning competencies and skills, the SEC will be able to rise to the occasion to look at that as an external validation. We will not fundamentally change the support nature of the relationship of the teacher with the students. It is important that students are supported by their teacher. That is the core relationship for teaching and learning.

On the issue of Irish, orals and other project work may be associated with the language to make it into a living thing. That could become part of second component assessment, which is not all about a terminal exam in June but is measured at different stages throughout the year taking the different developmental levels into account. The same standards do not have to be set at any time. The SEC could manage the orals and aurals, maintaining them as second components of assessment that could have a very high percentage mark. A student could go into an exam in June at the end of a course with 70% or 80% of the marks done.