Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 182: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there is an investigation under way to establish the reasons that led to the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment sample mock papers being rejected by all 24 pilot schools and the subsequent direction to those schools to ignore the sample paper; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11431/11]

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 183: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 75 of 21 April 2011, if he will clarify the following ambiguities: the meaning of inferential statistics, as this term does not seem to appear in the syllabus, and specifically which elements of inferential statistics have been deferred; the specific elements of synthetic geometry that are optional; to which syllabus does he refer when he states the syllabi issued to all schools in August 2010; if he will supply a copy of same; the way said syllabus differ from the syllabus which will issue in August 2011; if they do differ does this mean an entirely new syllabus will be issued in August 2011, in view of the fact that the absence of this information is preventing the publication of the relevant textbooks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11433/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 182 and 183 together.

I indicated in reply to Question 8954 of 21 April 2011 that Project Maths is being implemented on a phased basis over a 3 year period, over 5 strands of mathematics. It began in all schools in September 2010 in junior and senior cycle, building on the experiences of 24 schools which began the initiative in 2008. The syllabus for each of the 5 strands is being finalised for mainstream schools in the light of the experiences in the 24 Project Schools.

Inferential statistics refers to the drawing of conclusions, usually in respect of a particular population of interest on the basis of data collected from a random sample of the population. The syllabuses for the mainstream schools and the 24 project maths schools are shown on the website www.ncca.ie\projectmaths, and labelled in accordance with the relevant examination year. Section 1.7 of the syllabus for the 24 Project Schools sitting the Leaving Certificate examination in 2011, page 22 and 23, lists the elements of inferential statistics which have been deferred for an interim period. As these were adjusted before August 2010, the syllabuses issued for mainstream schools sitting the Leaving Certificate in 2012 in Strands 1 and 2 do not detail this content, but flag the fact that elements have been deferred (Section 1.7 on page 20). In regard to Synthetic Geometry, Section 2.1 of page 22 of the Leaving Certificate Mathematics syllabus for mainstream schools sitting the examination in 2012 sets out the elements which are optional for an interim period.

The educational publishers have been briefed on an ongoing basis by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment and the draft syllabuses have been published on the Council's website from the earliest possible stage. The adjustments to the syllabus have given rise to elements being deferred or made optional only. It is not accepted therefore that the evolutionary nature of the project has prevented the publication of textbooks.

The syllabuses which issued in hard copy in August 2010 to all mainstream schools are on my Department's website www.education.ie, as well as the NCCA website. These reflect changed content for Project Maths in Strands 1 and 2 only, together with the pre-existing content for the other elements of Mathematics.

The syllabuses which issue in August 2011 to all mainstream schools for candidates sitting the Leaving Certificate in 2013, and the Junior Certificate in 2014, will reflect Project Maths content across Strands 1-4, and are not expected to change vis a vis the drafts already published. It is not the normal practice to issue mock examination papers. However, the NCCA issued mock papers to the 24 Project Schools in February 2011 which were intended to supplement sample question material already sent to schools for the relevant strands the previous summer, and the sample papers published by the State Examinations Commission in October 2010.

The feedback indicates that the questions in the mock papers were more difficult than expected. In response, all of the project schools were notified that it was the sample paper published by the SEC which reflects the standards and type of question likely to arise in the actual examination. Schools were also supplied at that stage with additional materials, and extra follow up from the Project Maths Support Team. No future mock examination papers will be issued by NCCA. In line with normal practice, the State Examinations Commission will continue to publish a sample examination paper where syllabus change arises.