Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

There has to be some deconstruction of the thinking that existed heretofore where everything was geared towards the terminal exam. It is quite a struggle for many schools to try to deconstruct the pedagogical element and the content aspect of this. Where a school was geared towards trying to squeeze as much as possible in to the terminal exam, it was in the confined space of time because they were getting the desired points or desired results for the onward trajectory towards third level institutions and so on. The previous junior cycle was part of that trajectory or continuum. Maybe some schools continue to struggle in this regard. I do not refer specifically to Loreto College, which generated this petition, but maybe some challenges remain in the system around trying to deconstruct some of that thinking. This gives voice to petitions of this nature, and I speak in general terms.

The committee has heard absolutely compelling evidence here today. By any reasonable or objective analysis, the witnesses have given a very robust account of the nature of the correspondence entered into with the petitioners and have engaged willingly and openly with the petitioners. The witnesses have answered all of the questions on the time challenge. The research and qualitative analysis carried out clearly shows that the time was not such an issue as it related to last year's English exam and that people were able to get to the questions in a timely fashion. I believe the committee members are in agreement with that analysis.

The procedures in place for individual students to interface with the State Examinations Commission are robust; in this instance in this exam, there were only four people in the State who made a complaint about the time element out of 60,000 students who sat the same exam - and protecting their anonymity I assume they were not four individuals from one school and that they represent a wider geographical spread. The vast majority of students who took the exam were satisfied about the time constraints under which they were operating. I believe this to be a fair assessment.

Having regard to the evidence submitted to the committee by the State Examinations Commission and the Department of Education and Skills the committee deems it appropriate to close the petition and to send a copy of the submission made by the State Examinations Commission and the Department to the petitioners. The committee will thank the petitioners for their engagement with the committee. On behalf of the committee members, I express my gratitude to the witnesses for coming before the committee today. We strayed in to other areas also, but it was very useful to engage with the witnesses because it is helpful to members, as parliamentarians, to understand the dynamics of the State Examinations Commission and the Department on the exam structures. It was a useful tutorial for us and we are grateful for it. I thank the officials for coming before us today and for engaging with the committee.