Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 316: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if pupils of grind schools are assigned examination numbers in public examinations that enable them to be identified as pupils of such schools by correctors; if pupils of such schools are treated differently in any way in the allocation of numbers; if in her opinion this undermines the anonymity of the system; and if she will ensure that changes are made to the system to ensure the complete anonymity in every way of pupils in the future. [7459/08]

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. I am advised by the Commission that it is very strongly committed to maintaining the anonymity of candidates in its examining processes. This anonymity is enhanced through the system of allocating examination numbers to candidates sitting the Certificate Examinations. The position is that the Commission receives entries for admission to the Certificate Examinations from a number of sources. Details of pupils attending recognised post-primary schools are obtained electronically from my Department based on data submitted by schools in their October Returns. As part of the transfer process of this data to the Commission, Junior Certificate (including those attending VTOS centres) and Leaving Certificate candidates are assigned ranges of examination numbers.

Candidates who are not attending recognised post-primary schools and who apply for admission to the Leaving Certificate examination, generally known as External Candidates, are assigned a different range of examination numbers. The Commission has received applications from 4,093 External Candidates to take the Leaving Certificate examination in 2008. The Commission has advised me that it is satisfied that the methodology used to allocate examination numbers does not undermine the anonymity of the system.