Examiners Need to Go Back to the Classroom

June 21, 2010 ISSU

Irish Second-Level Students’ UnionPRESS STATEMENT *FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*

Examiners Need to Go Back to the Classroom 21/06/’10

The Irish Second-Level Students’ Union is appalled at the errors with today’s Leaving Cert Accounting paper. It is completely unacceptable that misprinted papers be distributed to students particularly after the errors encountered with last week’s Junior Certificate Business Studies paper. Standard security procedures were breached when the State Examinations Commission had to resort to emailing the correct version of the paper in question to schools which had received the misprinted papers.The State Examinations Commission released the information that there was an “editing error” on today’s Higher Level Accounting Paper last week and rumours of this circulating through the media had been unnerving students over the weekend – Higher Level students sat down to their paper expecting to be alerted to an error on the paper but then only Ordinary Level students were informed of an error on their paper causing confusion and uncertainty among Higher Level students who had been left in suspense for days about an error on their paper…. an error that really didn’t add up!Incidents such as these undermine confidence in our examinations system and cause unnecessary additional stress and anxiety for students under already demanding and challenging exam conditions. The ISSU calls on the State Examinations Commission to ensure that stricter proof-reading procedures and are put in place and that each batch of exam papers be checked after printing to ensure that errors such as these do not go undetected with exam papers in future years. The ISSU implores the State Examinations Commission to take the discrepancies with today’s paper into account when considering the marking-scheme of the paper. Carelessness by students is frowned upon; carelessness by those that set the exam is unacceptable and easily avoided.__ENDS__Notes to Editor:ISSU is the national umbrella body for school Student Councils, aiming to represent and connect Irish second-level students the length and breadth of the country, ensuring that the voice of the Irish second-level student is heard and striving for innovation and democracy within the education system. ISSU is a not-for profit student rights organisation.At ISSU we believe that young people are not merely citizens in waiting - we deserve better, we deserve to be heard. We can and will contribute positively to society. It is so important that our voices, views and opinions are (i) heard (ii) listened to (iii) and most importantly respected. This is what ISSU is all about. We’re here for you.Our main aims include:

To provide training and development of second-level school Student Councils, in conjunction with relevant bodies.
To develop policies on issues affecting Irish second-level students and bring the needs and rights of students to the attention of the relevant authorities.
To provide a transparent, democratic and reliable organisation.
To work in collaboration with other educational institutions and bodies both in Ireland and Europe.
To work closely with educational curriculum policy makers and teachers’ unions to continually develop a transparent, fair and modern education system.
And most importantly, to give students a structured platform through which the voice of the Irish second-level student will be heard.

ISSU represents students at a national level and is affiliated to; the WHEEL, NYCI, Anna Lindh Foundation, Stand up for Education Alliance, Children’s Mental Health Coalition and the Children’s Rights Alliance. On an international level, ISSU works closely with OBESSU. ISSU also works with curriculum development teams and various advisory bodies.Contact:www.issu.ie, email info@issu.ie or call 01 443 4461.