Education department responds to PISA survey concerns

The Department of Education has responded to UUP MLA Danny Kennedy's calls for parents not to allow their children to participate in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) project pending clarification.

The UUP's education spokesman said that he had received complaints from parents over concerns that the PISA project pupils were being asked to take in schools was "a backdoor attempt" to devalue the responses received to the Burns Proposals in last year’s household survey.

He demanded clarification on how the results would be portrayed, and whether they be used by DENI to "undermine the performance of our secondary schools and augment the argument for introducing comprehensive schooling".

The Newry and Armagh MLA added: “Many parents are suspicious of the motives behind this project, particularly when they have not been consulted."

Today the department said PISA was a major international collaborative study of the proficiency of 15-year-olds in reading, mathematics and science among member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Up to 119 schools in Northern Ireland have agreed to participate, and over 3000 pupils have been selected to take part, throughout this month.

A Departmental spokesperson said: “Northern Ireland is participating in PISA 2003 along with the rest of the UK, the Republic of Ireland, and a wide range of OECD countries. Research and statistics provide the basis for sound, evidence-based policy making. International comparisons like PISA are particularly important in providing benchmarking information on how we compare with our economic competitors.

The spokesperson added: "Any action which adversely affects the PISA survey would diminish our policy-making capability and ultimately our ability to improve the quality of education for children and young people."

PISA is conducted to internationally approved standards by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) which publishes the results independently. The sample size in Northern Ireland has to be sufficient to allow meaningful analysis and permit reliable comparisons with other countries.

(GMcG)