Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank our guests for attending. The NCCA truly is a representative body for teachers, unions and parents and it has nominees on its board as well. The SEC is a stand-alone body that reports directly to the Minister. I see an advisory group here that is working with subject experts. From what I understand, a nominee from the SEC also sits on the NCCA. That is important. I admire the work that has been completed in a difficult time, particularly by the SEC. The SEC has done great work in the last two years, particularly for its assessors in managing and working with teaching groups to manage the continuous assessment and accredited grade system and so on that we have put in place in recent years. I was incredibly impressed with the 40 subjects that are now managed by the SEC and assessors. That is incredible. Four extra languages were added for 2022, including Mandarin Chinese and Lithuanian, which is incredible to see. I pay tribute to the broad range of subjects to accommodate new communities coming to Ireland.

I refer to the assessment along the lines of that relating to the digital side and technology. I understand that marks are added online and that is what is reviewed. That will be made available to students and there will be a portal that is transparently available to students. Would we not be moving to a system where students will be inputting their information online? When do we see that happening? What are the cybersecurity elements around that and is there a portion of budgets within the Department of Education that needs to be allocated for it? My other questions are on the timelines for assessment. Some of the concerns and challenges we had with this new system in the last two years were the timing of the assessments and the marking of results that came out. In other words, they had an impact for third level, particularly for students who were going to the UK. How will we manage that this year? With the new model of continuous assessment, how will we manage to make sure that marking happens in a timely way for third level students who wish to take up courses in Europe, the UK or elsewhere?

I mention mindfulness in an exam setting. National University of Ireland Galway has become the first university with mindfulness. We talk an awful lot about mindfulness and well-being, but where are the actions? How can we see it in an exam setting where students enter in panic mode at times?

I remember what I was like and I would be cramming until God knows what hour coming into an exam. How can we get them to switch off, detox or whatever is and suddenly calm down and engage with the exam? What sort of methods could we look at?

I thank the NCCA so much. The reports it has done in recent years and the way it has engaged at different levels and at different stages with schools and parents have been incredible and a huge mountain of work has been done there. It has led to continuous assessment, which is so important when it comes to DEIS and special needs students. There are extra courses, including drama and film, as well as climate action and looking at our current global challenges. I understand the concerns around the assessment and capacity of students but I refer to the expansion of transition year, where we are looking at apprenticeship taster courses. How many of those would the NCCA recommend? The witnesses have mentioned that the network schools pilot has been rolled out and will be launched and that network schools can apply for this. Will there be a regional mix with the schools that are being selected ? Is there a maximum number of schools where it will take place? On international practice and comparison with other countries, were there one or two elements that the witnesses saw in other countries that they think we should consider for the future? I will start with Ms Feeney and her team and then we will pass over to Ms Forster.