§ Mr. JAMES HOGGEasked the Secretary for Scotland whether the leaving certificate examinations previously held towards the end of the school session, were altered to April to enable the results to be issued before the end of the session, and also to enable the inspectors to confer with teachers about doubtful cases and test by oral examination; if so, why this has not been done in the present instance; and whether he is aware that the majority of teachers in Scotland prefer the previous arrangement?
Mr. McKINNON WOODThe date of the leaving certificate examination was altered in order to make it possible to deal with doubtful cases in the manner indicated by my hon. Friend, and I am informed that this procedure has been extensively adopted this year. While the utmost endeavour is made to issue the results before the end of the Session, it has not been found possible to do this in all cases. I am not aware that the majority of teachers in Scotland prefer the previous arrangement, under which none of the results were issued before the end of the Session.