The Commission welcomes State Examinations Commission’s agreement to undertake an Equality Review
The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (the ‘Commission’) announced today that it has used its legal powers, under Section 32(1)(a) of the 2014 IHREC Act, to invite the State Examinations Commission (the ‘SEC’) to carry out an equality review of its services, and that the SEC has accepted this invitation. The SEC is a statutory body mandated to run state examinations. In doing so, it provides a service for the purposes of the Equal Status Acts 2000 – 2018. These Acts prohibit discrimination in the provision of goods, facilities and services on ten specific grounds, including disability. In its role, the SEC is responsible for setting the criteria and processing applications for reasonable accommodation from students undertaking State examinations under the Reasonable Accommodations at Certificate Examinations Scheme (the ‘RACE Scheme’). The Commission invited the SEC to conduct an equality review in relation to the RACE Scheme, to address the issue of accessibility of State exams for candidates with a visual impairment, and specifically to address the provision of accessible modified papers, provision of additional time arrangements, and digital paper delivery and form to candidates with a visual impairment. In particular, as part of the equality review, the Commission invited the SEC to:
- Conduct an audit of the level of equality of opportunity that exists for candidates with a visual impairment on the issue of accessibility of State exams;
- Identify all relevant current practices, procedures or other factors (for example, strategies, plans and positive action initiatives) that relate to the issue of accessibility of State examinations for candidates with a visual impairment;
- Assess the effectiveness of such practices, procedures and other factors in relation to the accessibility of State examinations and the equality of opportunity of candidates with a visual impairment; and
- Outline any recommendations and/or findings from the equality review.
Liam Herrick, the IHREC Chief Commissioner said:
“Sitting an examination can be stressful experience in itself, without facing additional challenges. Success in an exam, which often has significant, sometimes life-defining consequences, should come down to the student’s merit, ability and hard work in their subject, rather than their disability. Equality reviews are an important opportunity for an organisation to reflect on its systems and practices and to assess the level of equality of opportunity within that organisation and identify how it can do better to promote equality of opportunity. We welcome SEC’s willingness to engage in an equality review.”
As the process has now begun, we will be making no further comment. ENDS/ For further information, please contact: Sarah Clarkin, Communications Manager, 01 859 2641 / 087 468 7760 Sarah.Clarkin@ihrec.ie Follow us on twitter @_IHREC Notes to the Editor: Equality Review Section 32 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality 2014 Act gives the Commission statutory powers in relation to the carrying out of Equality Reviews and the preparation of Equality Action Plans. An Equality Review or Equality Action Plan may relate to equality of opportunity generally, or a particular aspect of discrimination, within an organisation or organisations (public or private sector). Equality of opportunity is understood as meaning that an organisation affords the same opportunities and treatment to persons, without such persons being disadvantaged on the basis of any discriminatory grounds listed in the Equal Status Acts 2000 to 2018 and with a view to ensuring full equality in practice among persons. The discriminatory grounds listed in the Equal Status Acts 2000 to 2018 include the grounds of gender, marital status, family status, age, disability, sexual orientation, race, religion, and membership of the Traveller community. Organisations are requested to carry out Equality Reviews and the focus of the reviews are a matter within the discretion of the Commission, having regard to its areas of focused work and its strategic priorities. In non-legal terms Equality Reviews are a means for an organisation to benchmark, or audit, its practices against its obligations under equality law in order to assess whether the organisation, as a service provider, is fulfilling its statutory obligations to ensure equality of opportunity, or an absence of discrimination. Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission is an independent public body, appointed by the President and directly accountable to the Oireachtas. The Commission has a statutory remit set out under the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act (2014) to protect and promote human rights and equality in Ireland, and build a culture of respect for human rights, equality and intercultural understanding in the State. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission is Ireland’s national human rights institution and is recognised as such by the United Nations. The Commission is also Ireland’s national equality body for the purpose of a range of EU anti-discrimination measures.