Concerns highlighted over errors in exams

CALLS have been made for tighter quality controls in state examinations after 73 errors were made in Leaving Certificate exam papers over the last three years.

Accountancy papers had the highest number of mistakes with 10 errors detected since 2009. It was closely followed by Classical Studies, History, Biology, Economics and Latin papers.

Last year, the State Examinations Commission (SEC) came under fire after more than 200 Accountancy students were given incomplete papers with the missing pages making up half the marks.

In the same year, a major error on a Junior Certificate Business Studies paper meant almost 24,000 students struggled to complete a cash flow question that had an incorrect figure.

Labour TD Michael McCarthy said the high level of errors was "unacceptable" and called for tighter quality control by the SEC.

"If we are serious about educating the younger generation to a high standard, we must enforce a tighter quality control assurance process in terms of how we prepare and plan state-run exams," Deputy McCarthy said.

A spokesperson for the SEC said that in a typical year 3m exam papers comprising over 34m pages of print are used for the state exams.

- Breda Heffernan

Irish Independent