Exam supervisor dismissed for falling asleep while on duty

The number of exam supervisors replaced for breaking rules during Junior and Leaving Certificate sittings has doubled to 14 in two years.

The Irish Examiner received an unconfirmed report that a male supervisor was dismissed from duties on the first day of this year’s exams at a centre in the Midlands, after leaving briefly to get something from his car. It is understood that another was suspended after falling asleep while superintending at a Co Cork school.

The State Examinations Commission (SEC) said it does not comment on individual cases, nor did it supply information requested on sanctions against superintendents this year. Almost 4,900 people supervised the Junior Certificate and Leaving Certificate exams.

Although the numbers suspended for breaching SEC rules on overseeing exam centres represent just 0.3% of all superintendents, this rose from seven in 2010 and eight the following year to 14 in 2012.

The figures emerged as the SEC faces increased scrutiny after mistakes highlighted in a number of exam papers, in Junior and Leaving Certificate maths, Leaving Certificate Irish, and Junior Certificate CSPE and science.

“The SEC will not be commenting on the 2013 process as it would be unfair to the superintendents concerned to comment on a process that remains active at this point,” said a spokesperson.

A superintendent’s failure to notify the SEC that he gave out the wrong English exam to students at a Co Louth school in 2009 forced 52,000 Leaving Certificate students to sit their second paper in the subject on a Saturday morning. The error cost the SEC €1.7m in transport and administration costs and the retired teacher has not been rehired for exam duties.

About 7,000 superintendents are appointed by schools to oversee exam centres for students with special needs. One such superintendent was let go by a Dublin school in 2010 after sending tweets during an exam.

As well as dismissing superintendents, the SEC can issue warnings for serious breaches of protocols. While immediate suspensions have risen in recent years, the number of superintendents issued warnings fell from 28 in 2010 to 12 in 2011 and rose slightly to 13 last year.

SEC officials routinely monitor exam centres.

This year’s 4,861 superintendents were paid an initial rate of €280.08 for collecting papers and setting up centres before the first exams. A daily rate of €112.04 is paid for each day a centre is opened.