Chamber
Plenary, 27 Jun 2001
27 Jun 2001 · S1 · Plenary
Item of business
National Qualifications<br />(2001 Exam Diet)
I understand that next year's examination diet timetable allows three weeks for marking—longer than was available this year or last year. That is certainly an improvement and it shows that some of the lessons of last year and this year have been learned.
We have just received the report and we need to plan the consultation. We will do that in due course and I want to do it in consultation with the Education, Culture and Sport Committee. I am also keen to get moving quickly on the course-by-course review. It is blatantly obvious which courses need to be reviewed first. The report makes reference to that, in particular to the high-volume courses. Our efforts will be directed towards attempting to conclude the course-by-course review by the end of the year, so that it will not take too long and so that people can be confident that there will be action.
On the general issue of assessment, I add to what Ian Jenkins said by reflecting on the fact that it is not just teachers who have raised the burden of assessment, although they have made such points, which has been helpful. Inside the SQA, processing the assessments is a burden but, perhaps more important, many pupils have told me that assessment is getting in the way of them learning their course. That is a problem and that is why we have to examine the assessments carefully, course by course, to secure the right balance between internal and external assessment.
It is vital that everybody—not just in the individual centres, schools and colleges but in the SQA—works together closely over the next week or so to get the final checks right. Thousands of young people have withdrawn from courses over the past year. Many of them have been identified, but some have not been. Clearly, they will not get certificates. We must ensure that those who do not get certificates in August are those who have been withdrawn. It is vital that everybody works together to ensure that that happens.
It is also vital that we minimise the number of individual certificates that have some form of inaccuracy on them. There has probably never been an examination diet anywhere in the world where every certificate is right. We need to be conscious of that, but I want to minimise the number of certificates with which there may be problems. We must have a streamlined, efficient and effective system, so that young people who have a question on 14, 15 or 16 August can get that question answered promptly. That should be our task—not just to strive for the maximum number of certificates that are right, but to deal quickly with those that are wrong.
We have just received the report and we need to plan the consultation. We will do that in due course and I want to do it in consultation with the Education, Culture and Sport Committee. I am also keen to get moving quickly on the course-by-course review. It is blatantly obvious which courses need to be reviewed first. The report makes reference to that, in particular to the high-volume courses. Our efforts will be directed towards attempting to conclude the course-by-course review by the end of the year, so that it will not take too long and so that people can be confident that there will be action.
On the general issue of assessment, I add to what Ian Jenkins said by reflecting on the fact that it is not just teachers who have raised the burden of assessment, although they have made such points, which has been helpful. Inside the SQA, processing the assessments is a burden but, perhaps more important, many pupils have told me that assessment is getting in the way of them learning their course. That is a problem and that is why we have to examine the assessments carefully, course by course, to secure the right balance between internal and external assessment.
It is vital that everybody—not just in the individual centres, schools and colleges but in the SQA—works together closely over the next week or so to get the final checks right. Thousands of young people have withdrawn from courses over the past year. Many of them have been identified, but some have not been. Clearly, they will not get certificates. We must ensure that those who do not get certificates in August are those who have been withdrawn. It is vital that everybody works together to ensure that that happens.
It is also vital that we minimise the number of individual certificates that have some form of inaccuracy on them. There has probably never been an examination diet anywhere in the world where every certificate is right. We need to be conscious of that, but I want to minimise the number of certificates with which there may be problems. We must have a streamlined, efficient and effective system, so that young people who have a question on 14, 15 or 16 August can get that question answered promptly. That should be our task—not just to strive for the maximum number of certificates that are right, but to deal quickly with those that are wrong.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Sir David Steel):
NPA
Our next item of business is a statement by Mr Jack McConnell, on national qualifications and the 2001 exam diet. As usual, there will be questions at the en...
The Minister for Education, Europe and External Affairs (Mr Jack McConnell):
Lab
Like everyone, I was saddened to read this morning of yet another tragic suicide of a young person in Scotland, which should be a source of great concern to ...
Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I give a broad welcome to the largely positive developments and progress that have taken place since Easter. I add also the Scottish National Party's appreci...
Mr McConnell:
Lab
It is appropriate for any long-term review to include on-going monitoring of the implementation of the new qualifications and the role of the Scottish Qualif...
Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con):
Con
In trying to calm our nerves, the minister has clearly taken today's prayer to heart. Thankfully, there will be no deep intakes of breath following the minis...
Mr McConnell:
Lab
The review that I referred to has been under way for some months. It is not a new review; it was referred to by the Minister for Finance and Local Government...
Ian Jenkins (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD):
LD
I welcome the minister's statement, which seems practical and contains lots of positive news. I thank everyone involved in the work that has gone into prepar...
Mr McConnell:
Lab
I understand that next year's examination diet timetable allows three weeks for marking—longer than was available this year or last year. That is certainly a...
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
Seven members would like to be called and we have just under seven minutes, so exchanges should be short.
Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab):
Lab
I thank the minister for his statement.On the appeals process for this year and next year, the minister will agree that it is unacceptable that some students...
Mr McConnell:
Lab
The arrangements that I outlined are for both types of centre—further education colleges and schools. There will be special helplines for both and there will...
Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I, too, welcome the minister's statement. I have three short, sharp questions.First, I heard what the minister said about appeals, but there was a little hin...
Mr McConnell:
Lab
Mr Neil will not be surprised to learn that they are easy questions for which there are probably not exact answers. I do not have a figure for the exact spen...
Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab):
Lab
I welcome the minister's statement, especially his commitment to consult the Education, Culture and Sport Committee.Does the minister agree that teachers and...
Mr McConnell:
Lab
On the involvement of young people, I pay tribute to Jennifer Bryce, from Cumnock Academy, and Victoria MacDuff, from St Modan's High School in Stirling, who...
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
We have run out of time, but I will take the four remaining members if they ask one question each. The minister will give an omnibus reply.
Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP):
SNP
If the minister were wearing a halo today, it would be a 1,000-watt halo. Well done.I will focus on the data that have come into the SQA system from the Scot...
Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD):
LD
Can the minister assure us that his package of measures will greatly reduce the flood of paperwork that engulfs schools and colleges?
Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab):
Lab
Will the minister give a commitment to continue initiatives such as meeting head teachers and teachers at the secondary schools that serve my constituency of...
Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
Following on from Hugh Henry's question, I return to the theme of acquiring direct feedback from Scotland's teachers. They can write to the letters pages of ...
Mr McConnell:
Lab
On the first question, we are endeavouring to do just what Mr Stevenson has asked and ensure that all data are appropriate and accurate. On Mr Gorrie's quest...
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
I thank members for their co-operation.