ISSU Calls for Increased Security Measures in Wake of Leaving Certificate Security Breach

PRESS STATEMENT 08/06/12

Irish Second-Level Students' Union

*** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***

The Irish Second-Level Students' Union (ISSU) is disappointed by the Security Breach which will result in new Leaving Certificate Irish Paper One Exams and Aural CDs being distributed to schools in advance of Monday afternoon's exam. ISSU believes that more stringent security measures need to be put in place in the future to prevent further mistakes - particularly as there have been a number of similar incidents in recent years.  The Leaving Certificate Aural Exam was played to a number of groups sitting the Junior Certificate Exam yesterday morning, meaning that the recording and associated exam paper have to be replaced for the equivalent Leaving Certificate Exam on Monday.ISSU President, Dylan Grace said; "The State Examinations Commission are lucky in this case as there are a number of days between the Junior and Leaving Certificate Irish Aural exams so there is time to rectify the error without creating mass disruption.  However, we simply cannot keep having repeats of past mistakes which result in the significant costs of printing exam papers, producing CDs and distributing them nationwide.  While this won't create a direct disadvantage to any student, it is could potentially be playing on students' minds and causing them additional stress at an already stressful time.  We need to improve security measures to prevent these mistakes being repeated yet again."The ISSU are runnning a daily exam blog throughout the exams on www.issu.ieFor more please contact ISSU Communications Office, 01-443 4461, communications@issu.ie*****************ENDS *****************

The ISSU would like to remind all students that it is the State Examinations Commission prepares 2 papers for each exam every year, and that the contingency paper would have been made at the same time as the first paper in line with SEC examination protocol. Students should not be concerned about the implementation of an contingency paper, it means the SEC is protecting the integrity of the exam paper to ensure a fair exam for all candidates. Simply put, comparing the differences between the first paper and the contingency paper would be like comparing two different brands of milk. Candidates should concentrate on preparations for their Irish Exam as normal and try not to get distracted by any media hype this creates.