Examination accountability
Senator O’Keeffe condemns the examination errors and asks for a debate with the Education Minister or State Examinations Commission so responsibility and safeguards can be established.
Like others, I am concerned about the revelations about the leaving certificate examinations. One of the flaws of the leaving certificate is that young people only get one opportunity. They work hard and a great deal of advice is given to students and parents about preparing for the examinations such as about getting enough sleep, drinking water, not staying up half the night and not cramming. Are we now to advise our children that they should look out for mistakes in examination papers? How are they supposed to know which is their mistake or the examiner's?
If we are going to give a lot of advice to young people on how best to achieve results, what advice are we going to give examiners on how best to achieve good examinations? It is disgraceful. I am heartbroken on behalf of all those children. As stated by Senator Hayden an error does not only cause upset in respect of the question concerned but in respect of all questions. It causes students to struggle and lose heart, leading to the whole examination going down the tubes for them. I cannot believe that no one has apologised for this.
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No one has stood up and said, "That was my fault: I did that".
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The thousands of children who struggled all last year and this year in respect of this examination have been let down. I cannot find words to describe how upset I am. I do not know how we can ensure this does not happen again but we should at least have an opportunity to discuss the issue with the Minister. Perhaps the State Examinations Commission should be called to appear before the relevant committee to answer questions. Many documents are published without errors. It is not beyond our capacity to do that.
On tourism, I ask that the Leader excuse me from the Seanad on Thursday so that I can help to celebrate Yeats Day in Sligo, which along with the Lily and Lolly Craftfest is our contribution to tourism. We will be doing our best to draw tourists to Sligo and to entertain local visitors on behalf of one of the greatest Senators who sat in this House.