Updated 24 October 2008

MCA ORAL EXAMINATIONS: STEERING GROUP

Thank you to everyone who provided comments and who expressed an interest in attending the Steering Group to review the MCA Oral Examination process.  

As a basis for discussion a self-contained discussion paper dated 22 September 2008 has been prepared.  To download and view the discussion paper, please click on the relevant links below:

Title and Contents (31KB)

Main Report Text (49KB)

Annex 1 -The benefits of the existing oral examination system and any alternatives that may be available (71KB)

Annex 2 - The present training and monitoring of MCA examiners and to consider whether there is a need for improvement (84KB)

Annex 3 - The customer service provided to candidates requiring an oral examination and to consider whether there is a need for improvement (298KB)

Annex 4 - Whether the existing system is able to provide a consistent and fair examination system (186KB)

Annex 5 - Steering Group Membership (26KB)

We have colour coded the four main sections that address the terms of reference as follows:

• The benefits of the existing oral examination system and any alternatives that may be available
• The present training and monitoring of MCA examiners and to consider whether there is a need for improvement
• The customer service provided to candidates requiring an oral examination and to consider whether there is a need for improvement
• Whether the existing system is able to provide a consistent and fair examination system

If you have any comments on the discussion paper, please feed them through any Steering Group member as listed in Annex 5 of the discussion paper with a copy to Sue Rooke or Neil Peacey before 3rd December 2008.

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MCA ORAL EXAMINATIONS:  RESULTS OF QUESTIONNAIRE

Thank you to those who contributed to the recent survey seeking views from stakeholders and candidates regarding the existing Certificate of Competency (CoC) procedure.

We received an excellent response with 945 questionnaires being returned.  These indicated that 97% considered that the MCA should continue to conduct the oral examinations.  

We are currently collating all the detailed comments received and will present these as a Fyfe analysis along with the survey results.  

These will then be considered with our initial research and we will prepare a draft paper for open discussion at a working group.  The working group will include representatives from the maritime industry who have an interest in the examining of and the issuing of CoC’s to United Kingdom officers.

If you would like your organisation to be part of this working group, either as a representative or through correspondence, please would you register your interest by contacting Neil Peacey on 02380 329443 or by email neil.peacey@mcga.gov.uk with a nominated name and contact address.  We will then keep you in touch with progress.

Thank you again to those who contributed to this survey and we look forward to hearing from you.

Susan Rooke

Head of Projects, Equality and Better Regulation

Click here for results of the Survey (47Kb)

Click here for the Fyfe Analysis of the comments received as part of the Survey (161Kb)