The State Examinations Commission (SEC), which is responsible for overseeing second-level State examinations as well as selected trade and professional examinations, revealed a €2.014 million deficit for 2023 in its financial statements released on Thursday. This is slightly lower compared to the €2.217 million shortfall in 2022. The financial predicament of the SEC results from the government’s policy not to impose charges for Junior and Leaving Certificate tests over recent years.
The SEC was created in 2003 and relies on Oireachtas State funding and fees from examination participants for revenue. In 2023, the commission received an allocation of €107 million from the State. However, the elimination of student exam fees has significantly affected the organisation’s fiscal health.
In 2017, the SEC carried out an internal analysis on the origins of the deficits that had accumulated between 2014 to 2016. The Commission discovered that the insufficient funds set aside in the SEC’s budget coupled with the uptick in the number and calibre of concessions requested by candidates with special education needs since 2013 were the primary factors contributing to the situation.
Post-review, the SEC agreed to overhaul the way the budget is estimated to secure sufficient funding and to cut the deficit over time. From 2017 to 2019, the financial void was brought down significantly from €2,194,292 to a manageable €609,225.
In 2022, the budget shortfall surged to €2,217,901. This escalation was closely linked to the resolution made by the Education Department not to impose exam fees on candidates in 2022, coupled with considerable resolutions about the 2022 exams, affecting the SEC budget post the finalisation of the estimates process.
Furthermore, the deficit was influenced by persistent problems associated with securing adequate financing for pivotal activities. By 2023, the deficit value decreased to €2,014,523.
In 2020, the government had passed a ruling that candidates would no longer be required to pay exam fees. However, in 2023, exam appeal fees were reinstated for pupils.