Exam error ‘did not affect grades’

EXAMS authorities have assured Junior Certificate students that an error on one of this year’s business papers did not cost them grades.

Almost 22,750 of the 56,088 students getting their results today sat the higher level business studies exam in June, in which mistakes appeared on a cash-flow forecast question on the second paper. While it caused anxiety for a number of students who were confused by an error in figures provided, the State Examinations Commission (SEC) says it has not resulted in any candidates being adversely affected.

“The marking scheme was revised to facilitate the range of approaches to the question and the answers provided by candidates. All examiners for this exam were informed of the error and the agreed procedure for managing the marking of this question,” a SEC spokesperson said.