Written answers

Tuesday, 24 May 2016

Department of Education and Skills

State Examinations

Photo of Fiona O'LoughlinFiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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201. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills how he is ensuring that students sitting State examinations are treated in a fair and equitable manner with regard to reasonable accommodations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11816/16]

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Currently the SEC operates a Scheme of Reasonable Accommodations at the Leaving and Junior Certificate examinations for candidates with special needs in the examinations. The Scheme applies to candidates who have a physical or medical disability, including visual and hearing impairments, or a specific learning difficulty (dyslexia is one such specific learning difficulty). All applications for reasonable accommodations are considered within a published Framework of Principles established by an Expert Advisory Group.

The Board of the SEC is currently undertaking a review of the operation of the RACE Scheme. As part of this review the SEC is considering the recent High Court Judicial Review findings referred to by the Deputy. Following the review the SEC will develop proposals and plans for any changes to the RACE Scheme it considers necessary.

Reasonable accommodations are intended to:

(a) to remove, as far as possible, the impact of the disability on the candidate's performance and thus enable the candidate to demonstrate his or her level of attainment and

(b) to ensure that, whilst giving candidates every opportunity to demonstrate their level of attainment, the special arrangements will not give the candidate an unfair advantage over other candidates in the same examination.

The SEC has an Independent Appeals Committee to which applicants, if they are not satisfied with the accommodations provided or denied, may appeal to.

In addition, applicants when not satisfied with the decision of the Independent Appeals Committee may apply to the Ombudsman or the Ombudsman for Children to consider their complaint.

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