The decision to decrease the overall pass mark for the controversial Irish language exam for primary teachers has led to a big increase in the numbers of students passing the exam, new figures have revealed.
Results for April of this year show the numbers of students passing paper one of the Scrudu Cailiochta sa Ghaeilge increased by 25 per cent when compared with October 2003.
Similarly, those passing paper two increased by some 22 per cent, while half of students passed the aural exam, up from 30 per cent in October.
Half of students also passed the oral exam, compared with only a third previously.
Last April, the Minister for Education and Science, Mr Dempsey, announced that the overall pass mark in the exam,which is obligatory for primary teachers who have qualified outside the State, would be reduced from 50 to 40 per cent.
This applied to teachers seeking to teach in schools where English is the language of instruction, with a 70 per cent mark required for those working in Irish language schools.
Other changes to the exam, which has been criticised in the past for being too difficult and of little relevance to classroom teaching, are due to take place from next year.
"These figures show that bringing the acceptable pass mark down to 40 per cent, which is the acceptable mark for universities, was a reasonable move," said Mr John Carr of the Irish National Teachers Organisation.
"However it is clear that more needs to be done in this area . . . the lack of courses is the biggest single contributor to problems in this area."
Mr Carr said the decision to ask Colaiste Mhuire in Marino, Dublin to act as a central co-ordinating and managing authority for the exam needed to be implemented with immediate effect.