Independent body set to supervise State examinations

THE Junior and Leaving Certificate exams will be operated independently of the Department of Education from next summer.

Education Minister Noel Dempsey yesterday named the five people who will make up the board of the Examinations Commission.

Their job will be to take over the department's responsibilities for the State exams. The department's 150 examinations branch staff based in Athlone will be transferred to the commission early next year.