Dáil debates
Tuesday, 2 October 2007
Other Questions
State Examinations.
3:00 am
Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 107: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the plans in place by the Examination Commission to facilitate external students for the 2008 State examinations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21834/07]
Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations, including organising the holding of examinations and determining procedures in places where examinations are conducted, including the supervision of examinations.
I am informed by the State Examinations Commission that it will again facilitate external candidates to take the leaving certificate examination in 2008. For years, approximately 4,000 external candidates have taken the leaving certificate examination each year. Those classified as external candidates include those attending non State-funded schools, VTOS students and independent candidates. External candidates may be admitted to the leaving certificate examination in one or more subjects on payment of the appropriate fee provided that there is a period of at least two years between the candidate's completion of transition year or the junior cycle, whichever is the later, and the sitting of the leaving certificate examination or, in the case of a candidate who has not been a recognised junior pupil or a transition year pupil, the candidate will have attained the age of 17 years on or before 31 July of the year of examination.
These provisions are designed to ensure that a student who has left school will not be in a position to sit the leaving certificate examination earlier than if he or she had remained at school. Essentially, a student will not be permitted to sit the leaving certificate examination in the year after the junior certificate examination or in the year after transition year.
In regard to where an external candidate takes his examinations, each candidate must select a centre for examination and seek the approval of the school principal to sit there. The candidate will be assigned to that centre provided he or she has obtained approval from the school principal and accommodation is available. School authorities have been very generous in accommodating external candidates and I place on record my thanks for their support for these students.
Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Is the State Examinations Commission obliged to find a place to sit the exam or is that the student's responsibility? I am aware of cases where students who want to sit the exam have been frustrated by local principals. I know of a particular case where a student took up a full-time position but now wants to do two or three subjects for her leaving certificate, has issues with dyslexia and requires special assistance — a reader — and it has been difficult for her to find the appropriate school in that scenario. Who is obliged to find the place — the commission or the student?
Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The student is responsible for finding the place where he or she will sit the exams. Students who attend private colleges or grind schools generally have provision made by those schools for the exams. The once-off external student, however, must go to the local school. I met a student who did not realise it was her responsibility to do that.
Difficulties can arise when a student may have left the local school to attend a private school but then wants to go back to the local school to sit the exam. Conflicts and considerations arise in that situation.
Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The State Examinations Commission will facilitate the student and it is responsible for the operation of the system so that if the student has a special need, once the school applies, stating that the student needs an extra room, superintendent or tape recorder, the commission will provide that.
Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The school can say "no", and the next school can also say "no".
Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Can I make a helpful suggestion?
Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Deputy should make his suggestion by way of a question.
Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Would the Minister discuss the putting in place of an appeals system with the examinations commission? If a student cannot find a local school to facilitate him, there could be an appeals system within the commission which would then take responsibility for finding an appropriate place for that student to sit his examinations. There are 4,000 external students, people of all ages, and we must encourage them instead of putting barriers in their way when they are trying to sit their State exams.
Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The vast majority would sit the exams in recognised centres. I do not know if the State Examinations Commission can get involved with appeals in a local area as to who should sit where.
Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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It could just find students a location.
Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The student is presumably attending somewhere.
Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Often he attends the grind school in Dublin and wishes to go back to Roscommon or Galway to sit the exams. Generally, however, schools will facilitate. I will ask the State Examinations Commission what evidence it has of numbers who have not been facilitated and find out if it is more than the odd one or two.