For the first time, Leaving Cert students will be able to see their written papers after they have been marked. Marks for orals, aurals and practicals will also be made available. Candidates will be given an booklet to explain the system. The marking scheme will be sent to schools before they reopen.

It's expected that written papers will be returned to schools early in September and will be available to students, and one other person nominated by the student, for a four-day period. Students will then have until September 10th to decide if they wish to appeal their results. This is a considerable advance on last year's date of August 26th. The Minister for Education says he is introducing "complete and absolute transparency" into the Leaving Cert. "This is in response to the demands for greater openness which I have heard from students, parents, teachers and schools."

Exact details have yet to be ironed out. But, funding will be made available for the employment of supervisors to oversee students when they have access to scripts. Anonymity of examiners will be absolutely respected, according to the Minister. The Department will retain copies of a proportion of each school's exam scripts.

Errors in the addition of marks for various questions and sections have been found on appeal in the past. These will now be self-evident to candidates and a fast-track rectification system, with no appeal fee, has been proposed. Other appeals will continue to involve a full re-marking with the retention of the standard fee. This fee has been criticised by teachers who say that it further disadvantages disadvantaged students.

A special help line will be available to help schools with queries about the new system.

Practical work will not be returned to schools but the Minister has indicated that he would be amenable to facilitating visits to the exam branch in Athlone if candidates desired.

These measures should go some way towards restoring public confidence in the exams system which has been eroded by a series of problems, beginning with the loss of 50 pieces of artwork in 1995. At least eight students missed college places as a result.

Last year, problems with the marking of English, French, Spanish, Irish and accountancy Leaving Cert exams led to the complete re-marking and rechecking of hundreds of scripts and oral exam tapes. The perceived reluctance to own up to and redress errors, rather than the number of errors in a system which deals with 800,000 separate exam components, was the main problem.

The Minister believes the initiative will "demystify the exam process and give students and teachers the opportunity of fully understanding all elements of how papers are marked. It will also provide a powerful means of ensuring that every candidate is given the grade they deserve."

The ASTI has said the proposals are unworkable and will seriously disrupt schools. The TUI, however, has welcomed the new transparency.