Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 13 May 2014

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection

Implementation of Junior Cycle Student Award: Minister for Education and Skills

4:20 pm

Photo of Mary MoranMary Moran (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the representatives from the Department of Education and Skills. As a former teacher, as many of us are, I cannot but welcome the changes which will be initiated from September. I understand much of the concern raised by the unions. We all received letters from the ASTI prior to this meeting raising concerns. The Minister has addressed some of them. One of the big issues is uncertainty about the change. We are a nation which can be slow to adapt to change. Much fear among teachers is that the change will undermine existing education standards. People need to be assured this will not be the case and they will certainly not be undermined. We must ensure the junior cycle student award will be of the same standard and standing as what we have at present when moving away from the national examination.

I have taught in vocational and secondary schools. In the vocational school I examined my own junior certificate students in 1994 and did not come up against any problem. However, I understand the concerns some teachers have. It has been suggested the exams should be given to other schools in the town to be corrected, but I see a huge issue with this because there is so much competition between schools within a town for numbers. This would be a huge problem.

I welcome that more time will be allocated for continuing professional development. Will much time be given prior to September as CPD should be given before the start of the new year and we are coming dangerously close to the end of the year? We need to raise teacher confidence as much as possible.

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