Officials alter exam paper after second ‘blunder’
The State Examinations Commission (SEC) asked exam superintendents at the 16 centres in the four schools to cover over the title “Timpistí bóthair” (road accidents) with black marker on the ordinary level Irish Paper I. They then read the alternative essay - An Teilifís (the television) - to the 217 students who were due to take the paper yesterday afternoon.
The modifications were overseen by an official from the SEC.
The commission has also said it is reviewing the context in which it sets exams because of the reaction to the ordinary level Junior Certificate English paper on Wednesday.
Pupils taking the paper at St Michael’s Loreto Convent in the Co Meath town were said to have been shocked by the inclusion of an essay about travelling on the school bus.
The change in yesterday’s papers was made by the SEC, which had said on Wednesday that the English exams could not have been changed in the two weeks since the bus crash in which five girls from the town’s schools were killed.
“The decision to make this change to the paper was made in recognition of the upset experienced by candidates in these schools following the inclusion in Wednesday’s Junior Certificate ordinary level English Paper I of the composition topic ‘Travelling on the School Bus’,” an SEC spokesperson said.
“Any upset caused to any candidate as a result of the inclusion of this composition topic was certainly not intended,” she said.
The spokeswoman said the SEC always reviews its policies and procedures at the end of each examination season.
“This issue will cause us to review the context in which examination papers are set,” she said.
Last night, Education Minister Mary Hanafin welcomed the sensitivity in making the change to yesterday’s Irish paper.
