Testing times for Dr Boston

The appointment of Dr Ken Boston to the job of chief executive of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority has surprised the education world. Dr Boston, 59, has a reputation in Australia as director general of education and training in New South Wales, but he is completely unknown here. All the signs are that the job of running the Government's examinations watchdog has been difficult to fill. It has certainly taken ministers a long time to find someone, which has led to comments about the delay from head teachers and MPs. It was, remember, last September that Professor David Hargreaves announced he was going to resign.

So, is Dr Boston up to a job in which he will be buffeted about by government ministers, and have to restore confidence in an exam system which has grown like topsy-turvy? Estelle Morris, the Education Secretary, has been quick to reassure the world that she considers him a "world-class choice for this key post". His strength, it is being said, is his proven track record in creating parity of esteem between academic and vocational qualifications in New South Wales. That will certainly be a key area of responsibility for him in England and Wales.

There are many other critical issues, however, not the least of which will be the pressure on the system caused by the massive increase in the number of exam papers being sat by today's youngsters. Already Edexcel, having been warned once that its licence to set exams may be revoked if it doesn't improve, is under pressure as a result of three more blunders with exam scripts in the past week.

The answer does not lie in stripping Edexcel of its powers. Who would take over responsibility for the one million marks the board is expecting to award this summer? Presumably, AQA and OCR, the other two big boards, who are also facing increased pressures as a result of the increasing exam burden. The answer must be to reduce the pressure on an overcrowded qualification system, give teachers the incentives they need to mark papers and generally to map out a coherent path for 14 to 19-year-olds. That is some task for Dr Boston. He needs all the managerial, political and strategic skills he can muster.