Exam body has to restore faith in the appeals system, says FF

FIANNA Fáil has demanded the State Examinations Commission urgently ‘restore confidence’ in the Leaving Cert appeal system after student Rebecca Carter won the right to enter veterinary school.

Thomas Byrne, the party’s education spokesman, criticised the SEC after the 19-year-old won her High Court case to accelerate her Leaving Cert appeal and secure a place at UCD following an addition error in her business paper marks.

The SEC had refused her a fast-track appeal ahead of the October 10 deadline – despite UCD only holding her place until September 30.

On Wednesday Judge Richard Humphreys ruled Ms Carter’s appeal be decided by midday today and any offer from UCD be forthcoming by this evening.

Mr Byrne told Today With Seán O’Rourke on RTÉ radio yesterday: ‘The judge has made comments that question the examination system and this needs to be dealt with as a matter of urgency.’

An SEC spokesman said today’s meeting would consider the implications of the judgment, but that no overarching changes would be made during this year’s round of appeals.

A Department of Education spokesperson said that it had asked the SEC to report back on foot of its consideration.

Ms Carter told Pat Kenny on Newstalk yesterday: ‘The system certainly has some flaws that need to be fixed. Hopefully, on Monday morning I’ll be sitting in UCD.’

The former president of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors, Betty McLaughlin, said the appeals process was an ‘unbelievable task’ and suggested universities change their term dates to allow for marking reviews.

The SEC received 9,092 individual subject appeals from 5,200 candidates this year, with all decisions due to be returned by October 10, which would have left Ms Carter waiting another year before she started her veterinary medicine course.