New questions about the marking process in the Leaving Cert have been raised after a huge number of this year's students successfully appealed their results.
Figures from the State Exams Commission (SEC) show almost 40 per cent of students taking higher level history were upgraded after successfully appealing their results.
The percentage upgraded following successful appeals was very high in a range of subjects including higher level geography (28.8 per cent), ordinary level maths (24.4 per cent) and ordinary level English (47.92 per cent). In all, the figures show that students have, on average, a one-in-five chance of being upgraded following their appeal. The commission received over 9,400 appeals and over 2,000 of these were successful.
Brian Mooney, of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors, said the successful re-checks raised serious questions about the marking process in many subjects.
He said the figures for history and ordinary level English, in particular, warrant some explanation. How can it be, he asked, that such a huge percentage of grades were incorrect and needed to be upgraded?
In all, some 5,300 candidates made applications for appeals, less than 10 per cent of those who sat the Leaving in June. Generally, students only bother to appeal when they need extra points for particular college courses.
Mr Mooney said the huge level of successful appeals in a relatively small number of papers must raise questions about the overall marking scheme. Is it the case that one-in five of all results is incorrect? he asked.
In the processing of appeals, the work of each candidate is fully re-marked question by question using the original marking scheme. The re-marking is performed by a different examiner to the one who originally marked the work.
Students can opt to view their re-marked examination scripts. They are required to complete the application form that accompanies the appeal results and to return it through their school by Friday next.
Externally entered candidates should return the form directly to the SEC. All such applications must be with the SEC by 5pm on Tuesday, October 17th.
The viewing will be held in the Athlone office of the SEC on Saturday, October 21st between 10am and 4pm. Candidates who are dissatisfied with the outcome of their appeal have recourse to the Independent Appeals Scrutineers.
The scrutineers' role is to ensure that due process has been followed in the case of each appeal and that all of the appeal procedures were properly carried out.
The scrutineers are independent of the State Examinations Commission and they have the power to request from the SEC all documentation relating to an appeal in conducting their investigations.
