§ Mr. O'SHEEasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland how much was the cost of carrying out the intermediate examinations in Ireland; how much was the value of the exhibitions and other prizes awarded to students examined in each of the years 1888, 1898, and 1908, respectively; when do the Commissioners of Intermediate Education propose to give effect to their view that examinations on the plan hitherto adopted should only take place in the case of students of exceptional knowledge, and that the exhibitions should be of such an amount as to enable such students to obtain a university training; whether it is proposed to apply the entire saving which may be effected in the cost of examination, estimated by the Commissioners at two-thirds or three-fourths of the present cost, towards increasing the number and amount of the exhibitions and prizes awarded to students; and whether he is aware that the junior grade exhibitions hitherto awarded have been generally ineffective in inducing students to enter upon university courses?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Commissioners of Intermediate Education inform me that the expenditure for the years 1888, 1898, and 1908 in respect of examinations and the amounts awarded in exhibitions and prizes in those years was as follows:—
Year. Examinations. Exhibitions and Prizes. £ s. d. £ s. d. 1888 … 8,642 14 11 … 14,172 16 8 1898 … 13,636 7 5 … 7,661 17 10 1908 … 16,438 10 4 … 9,074 0 0 The Board have not yet had under consideration a scheme for restricting their examinations to those students only who propose to compete for honours, prizes, or exhibitions, and therefore it is not possible to make any statement as to the expenditure of the saving thereby effected. In view of the increased numbers of candidates for entrance to the universities in recent years it does not appear that the junior grade exhibitions awarded by the Board have in any way deterred students from seeking university education.
§ Mr. O'SHEEasked the Chief Secretary what are the names of the inspectors appointed by the Board of Intermediate Education in Ireland, and what are their respective qualifications or degrees; whether it is proposed that they should, 735W when making inspection of schools, test the knowledge of students in the same way as is done by inspectors of the Commissioners of National Education, or in what manner; whether, in the case of the establishment of written examinations confined to students who enter for honours exhibitions or prizes, the inspectors will have before them a list of the students so entering from each school so as to enable them to confine themselves when making an inspection to testing the knowledge of the general body of students only, exclusive of those who have entered for the honours examination; whether any rules have yet been drafted by or on behalf of the Commissioners of Intermediate Education for the guidance of their inspectors; and, if so, whether a copy of the draft rules will be laid upon the Table?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Commissioners of Intermediate Education inform me that the names and degrees of the inspectors of the Board are as follows:—
No special instructions or rules for the guidance of inspectors have yet been drafted by the Board. It is not therefore possible to make any statement as to the method of inspection. All rules made by the Board are laid before both Houses of Parliament.
- Richard Charles Bolger Kerin, B.A., London.
- Charles Edmund Wright, M.A., T.C.D.
- Ernest Ensor, M.A., T.C.D.
- Joseph J. O'Neill, M.A., R.U.I.
- John Edward Maguire, B.A., T.C.D. and M.A., R.U.I.
- Thomas Rea, M.A., R.U.I.