Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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Question 205: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the guidance given to the State Examinations Commission on the appointment of correctors for junior and leaving certificate papers; the training given to ensure consistency in marking; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34134/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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With effect from 6 March 2003, responsibility for the operation of the State certificate examinations transferred from my Department to the State Examinations Commission. The majority of key personnel who had worked on the certificate examinations within my Department transferred to the Commission in 2003. This retention of experience and expertise ensured a seamless transition to the new organisation and also ensured the continuation of the high standards set by my Departmentpreviously.

The quality assurance processes in relation to marking of the examinations include

A comprehensive training programme and code of practice for drafters and setters of examination papers

Establishment of examiner teams to provide for the marking and monitoring of the work done and for the provision of advice and support to examiners throughout the marking process

Trialling of draft marking schemes before finalisation, through their application to samples of candidate's work so that any necessary amendments can be made

Provision of comprehensive instructions and marking schemes for examiners

Training of advisory teams, followed by convening of Marking Conferences during which all examiners are trained in the application of the marking scheme and the administrative processes associated with the examinations, and apply the marking scheme to exemplar material

Continued monitoring of the work of examiners to ensure consistency, ensuring a minimum of 5% of the scripts of each examiner are re-marked by a supervising examiner, with larger samples or a complete re-marking where the need is identified

A supervisory structure under the direction of the Commission's Examination and Assessment Managers, which consists of a Deputy Chief or Chief Advising Examiner and a team of Advising Examiners who oversee the work of the examiners

Examination of appeals by a person other than the original marker. At the appeal stage, the training and supervisory process continues, and further quality assurance takes place which includes monitoring of an increased sample of the work of examiners, and where the need is identified, complete re marking by a different examiner.

In addition to this, the marking schemes and examination papers are published on the Commission's website, and candidates may review their marked scripts before deciding whether to appeal their result. For example, in the 2006 Leaving Certificate alone, over 352,000 grades were processed, 9442 results (2.7%) were appealed and 2004 results were upgraded(0.6%). The staff of the State Examinations Commission also keep abreast of best international practice through direct links with other examination authorities, site visits to other examination boards, participation in international conferences and membership of international specialist networks such as the International Association for Educational Assessment. These processes place the State Examinations Commission at the forefront internationally in terms of the openness, transparency and accountability of the examination system.