§ The Secretary of State for Education and Skills (Mr. Charles Clarke)I am grateful to the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), the other regulatory authorities and the examination boards for their hard work in ensuring that the exam system ran smoothly this year. It is nonetheless a system under strain. QCA has therefore developed proposals to ensure we have an examinations system fit for the 21st century which will support rising standards in schools and colleges.
I am announcing today that I shall be making some £50 million available to QCA in each of 2004–05 and 2005–06 by reprioritising from within my existing resources. In doing so, I remain committed to ensuring that schools are properly funded. The resources released for modernisation will not impact on the money available for school funding.
The overall programme will include improving the supply and quality of examiners; upgrading examinations offices in schools and colleges and supporting the work of examinations officers; improving the system for the transfer of information between schools, colleges and awarding bodies; and streamlining and making more secure the movement of examination papers and scripts between awarding bodies, schools and colleges, and examiners. It will also cover some developmental work on increased use of ICT in the examinations system, including some piloting of e-marking. The programme will also cover some short-term work aimed at reducing the assessment load and complexity.
QCA are also proposing to establish a new National Assessment Agency. This body would still be accountable to QCA's Chief Executive and Board.
26WSIt would work with the examination boards to secure the long-term viability of the examination system and lead the way in modernising it through the five strands of work which I have announced today, including through the use of its own ring-fenced budget. It would also be responsible for administering the tests that take place at the end of each key stage, but not for the regulatory functions which would remain with the main QCA. The establishment of the new agency would thus ensure that these two potentially conflicting responsibilities are kept apart.
This programme of work represents a considerable investment in the examinations system. I believe it will make for an efficient, robust and modern examinations system such that our young people deserve.