Doug McAvoy

Education secretary Estelle Morris has rejected claims that she has sought to pre-judge the Tomlinson inquiry into exam fixing.

She has been accused of contacting exam firms to brief them on plans for a complete remarking of this year's exams ahead of the publication of the inquiry.

Forum Response: Association of Teachers and Lecturers

Gwen Evans, deputy general Secretary for the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, told ePolitix.com: "This sorry situation proves that the government has a lot to learn.

"Number one: Don't rush, as it was government impatience that caused many, if not all, of the current difficulties.

"Secondly, when professionals suggest a slower pace, they must listen rather than discount their advice as being inconvenient."When rules and responsibilities get confused then chaos, such as the one we are experiencing, is the result. At the end of the day, this situation must not be trivialised as party politics. This is about securing a situation in which young people can achieve."

Forum Response: National Union of Teachers

Doug McAvoy, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, told ePolitix.com: "There are two main concerns for the education secretary: One, the restoration of confidence in the examination system; and two, the need to do everything possible to support young people who have been treated unfairly and who may have had their future careers jeopardised as a result of the improper downgrading of their work.

"The education secretary would be remiss if she had not explored every avenue in preparation for the report from Mike Tomlinson. These youngsters deserve a speedy resolution of their plight. Achieving that is more important than ruffling the feathers of those involved in the exchanges which caused the downgrading of their results."

Forum Response: The Professional Association of Teachers

Jean Gemmell, general secretary for PAT, told ePolitix.com: "Exams are already stressful - not only for the pupils, but also for their parents and teachers - and students are expected to perform to the best of their abilities.

"It is therefore appalling that there have been so many questions raised to shake confidence in the accuracy and integrity of the system, when we should expect the highest standards."

Forum Response: Universities UK

A spokeswoman for Universities UK, told ePolitix.com: "We are currently looking at all the practical issues, as are UCAS and the funding councils. This is an unprecedented situation and we still don't know the scale of the problem."