The Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment`s chief executive Gavin Boyd told the Stormont Assembly`s Education Committee while they had not been able to pinpoint exactly why Home Economics students were given incorrect grades last August, they would have to review computer security.

Mr Boyd told the committee an internal report on the error, which saw the grades of 800 students drop last year, concluded that the most likely cause of the incorrect grades was sabotage by an internal or external source.

The report, which contains 32 recommendations, also noted that although adequate controls existed in the accurate inputting and checking of grade boundaries, those measures were rendered ineffective because the final checks occurred only five days before the corruption of the exam results.

``The nature of this problem has meant we cannot say with 100% certainty how it arose,`` the CCEA chief executive admitted.

``We have though, through 70 staff interviews and four weeks of exhaustive systems testing, ruled out administrative error or computer programme fault.

``CCEA can apologise but we cannot offer excuses. Like any quality organisation our focus is on continuous improvement.

``We must ensure that Northern Ireland`s schools and colleges receive from us the highest service and accuracy.

``CCEA regrets the issue of incorrect grades to students. We apologise to everyone who was distressed or given extra work by this event.

``However, I hope that all concerned will recognise the efforts we have made to investigate and put right this issue. I hope also that it will be recognised we have acted honestly and with openness and accountability in our dealings with all parties.``

Mr Boyd said the internal inquiry team had, with the help of four independent firms, looked at ways to update computer systems and procedures.

He stressed: ``The report does not suggest CCEA had poor computer systems in place. However, like many other organisations, we face the increasingly difficult challenge of ever-changing technological developments and know-how.

``This incident proves that even good systems must be continually updated and improved.``

The report was welcomed by the Education Minister Martin McGuinness who was satisfied the internal investigation was carried out in a thorough manner.

The Sinn Fein minister noted: ``While the review team could not identify precisely how the problem arose, the investigation has revealed control weaknesses in the processing of examination results and a number of recommendations have been made to address these.

``It is imperative that the lessons learned from this incident are implemented and the importance of robust computer systems is recognised.

``I am confident CCEA will take the steps necessary before the next series of examinations to ensure that the distress caused to pupils, parents and teaching staff, will not be repeated.``

UTV

-- Anonymous, January 12, 2002