'Compromised' exam papers for apprentice electricians withdrawn

Concerns that the papers may have been sold

An independent review of the craft electrical programme conducted by City of Glasgow College confirmed there are no health and safety issues arising from this matter. File picture

"Compromised" examination papers for apprentice electricians were withdrawn amid concerns that they may have been sold.

Further education minister James Lawless told ministers that through its monitoring processes, and following receipt of a protected disclosure, Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) had "cause for concern about the quality assurance of assessment of the national electrical craft apprenticeship".

QQI then initiated a "focused review" on training board Solas’s role as coordinating provider of the advanced certificate in electrical crafts. 

A spokesperson for Mr Lawless said "only a very small number of known exams were affected", but that the potential breach was being treated seriously.

Mr Lawless told ministers there was a formal investigation into exam breaches which led to the "withdrawal of compromised papers and the issue of replacements, averting immediate threats to exam integrity" as well as the reassignment of roles and responsibilities relating to the craft apprenticeship curriculum, assessment and validation from Solas and QQI to education providers.

He said an independent review of the craft electrical programme conducted by City of Glasgow College confirmed there are no health and safety issues arising from this matter and "targeted actions" were being taken to "address the predictability of assessments following a review of assessments across the remaining 24 craft apprenticeships" as well as agreement of a quality improvement plan between Solas and QQI.

Mr Lawless said that the actions may have been criminal.

Meanwhile, public expenditure minister Jack Chambers got Government approval for the Digital Public Services Plan which sets out a roadmap to ensuring all key public services are available online by 2030. 

It includes the digitalisation of life events and the development of a digital wallet — ensuring key milestones in people's lives like starting school, learning to drive, starting a business, becoming a parent or retiring are all easier to manage.