THE row over the Scottish Qualifications Authority's decision to use the same data-handling system as last summer for internal assessment results for this year's exams intensified yesterday.

Michael O'Neill, director of education for North Lanarkshire, warned that the system of management of internal assessment data was one major factor at the heart of last year's difficulties.

He said that was why the National Qualifications Steering Group and the Early Warning Group had adopted a "default position" to simplify the system.

In a letter to Bill Morton, chief executive of the SQA, Mr O'Neill claims the SQA's decision to reverse this decision was taken without consultation and "must be viewed against a backdrop of the latest information concerning the recruitment of teaching staff for extensive moderation duties (only 61% of the target recruitment achieved to date)."

He adds that it is incumbent upon the SQA to demonstrate good faith in operating according to principles agreed as a result of detailed discussions nationally.

"This announcement, both in content and mode of delivery, has created an unfortunate feeling of dislocation between the SQA and schools," he said.

Donald Matheson, past-president of the Headteachers' Association of Scotland, has also sought a meeting with the SQA to discuss concerns. "We are surprised at how this came about. All subsequent discussions had pre-supposed that the default model was going to go ahead."

A spokesman for the SQA insisted the organisation's reasons for its decisions were "sound".

Meanwhile, Tom Kelly, chief executive of the Association of Scottish Colleges, gave his backing to the SQA's decision on internal assessment data handling, saying that the organisation was right not to try to change computer software at this stage.

The Herald

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2001