UK - Exams fiasco 'worse than previously thought', says report

The summer exams fiasco is worse than previously thought with the system coming within a whisker of total collapse, claims a new report.

MSPs on the Parliament's Education Committee found there were serious failures at both board and management level in the Scottish Qualifications Authority.

They also warned there is a millennium-type bug lurking in the background which could jeopardise next year's exams.

In a hard-hitting report committee members said the design and implementation of the new Higher Still exam remained open to question and they called into question the role of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Schools in its development.

The MSPs said the Scottish Executive has to look carefully at its role in the crisis and that they were surprised further action was not taken to deal with the impact delay would have on confidence in the exam system.

Committee convener, Labour MSP Mary Mulligan, said: "To say there was a lack of preparation and foresight by the SQA is an understatement.

"Our report shows that vital areas of SQA were under-staffed, under-resourced, subject to poor internal and external communications, and the management and board were complacent and unwilling to admit these shortcomings until too late."

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-- Doris (nocents@bellsouth.net), December 08, 2000