Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

8. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he expects to reach agreement with the relevant teachers' unions in respect of replacement of the junior certificate examinations; if he will find it possible to reconcile the concerns expressed by the unions with the need for reform; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23362/14]

Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

17. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills how he will address the concerns of teachers regarding junior cycle reform; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23286/14]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

62. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he has had further discussions with the teaching unions with a view to reaching agreement in respect of outstanding issues arising from the proposed replacement of the junior certificate examination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23617/14]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

This question relates to the ongoing debate between the Minister for Education and Skills and the teachers' unions regarding the replacement of the junior certificate examination. While it is recognised that reform is necessary and that there is concern among teachers' unions, I am trying to ascertain the extent to which we can address the need for reform while recognising the need to include all stakeholders.

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 8, 17 and 62 together.

The Minister for Education and Skills and his officials are very open to discussing issues of disagreement relating to the junior cycle student award with the teacher unions, and have been all along. The Minister has asked his officials to continue to have discussions with the partners through the national working group on junior cycle. He has received detailed suggestions, particularly from the management and patron bodies, which will inform the discussions, but he continues to await similar written submissions from the teacher unions.

The Minister's door has always been, and will remain, open to anyone in the teaching profession and their representative bodies who want to engage as to how best to deliver this very significant reform of our education system at junior cycle.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy who tabled Question No. 17 is not present, Deputy Durkan has six minutes for this question.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his reply and recognise his willingness to accommodate the views of the teaching professionals. We must ask to what extent it will be possible to reconcile the need for reform with the question whether the review of students by their teachers is the appropriate way to do it and the willingness on the part of teachers and their unions to cross that Rubicon in the interests of education and the children.

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

A national working group has been established to see how best we can achieve this welcome reform of our junior cycle system. The group includes representatives from the Teachers Union of Ireland, TUI, the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland, ASTI, all the school management bodies, the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals, NAPD, Educate Together, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NCCA, and the State Examination Commission. It has established three subgroups to examine closely the challenges that some have suggested might emanate from this reform. The subgroups are on quality assurance and support for teacher assessment, continuing professional development required to support teachers and school leaders to implement the junior cycle, and workload and implementation issues for schools and teachers.

The subgroup on quality assurance and support is considering ways the assessment and moderation of the new junior cycle will be addressed. The management bodies, Educate Together and parents have provided written submissions containing their views and they are being considered by the Department. However, without a written submission from teachers it is impossible to have the balanced debate the Deputy rightly suggests we have. The teachers must make that submission to represent their views alongside all the other education partners. Without it we are operating in a vacuum. I call upon the teachers' unions across the country to make submissions, engage with the process and, hopefully, arrive at a point where we can collectively move forward together to implement the reform.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State. Can he identify a possible deadline for the conclusion of these discussions with a view to putting in place the necessary reforms?

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

While I hope the review will be completed by the end of the year, it is being stalled - I do not suggest deliberately - by the non-engagement of the unions in terms of a written submission. The sooner we receive such a submission the quicker we can move towards a conclusion.

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Given that the new junior cycle is due to commence in September, I hope the review concludes before the end of the year. The Minister of State is being disingenuous when he says he does not know the teachers' unions' concerns because they have not provided a written submission. The Minister of State and Department are very well aware of their concerns. It is unfair to say he cannot progress unless they engage. They have been engaging with the groups the Department established. To say he does not know their concerns because they have not put them on paper is unfair.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

A recent survey of parents' opinions by a professional polling company is that 60% want to retain independent assessment of the new junior certificate. That is where there is disagreement and the Minister of State refuses to take on board what teachers and parents want. I urge the Minister of State to re-examine this with the Minister, who has been obstinate, stubborn and blind to the views of others in his approach to a very important reform of our education system.

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

When one is attempting to work with parents, the teaching profession and school communities to implement a very significant reform, it is exceptionally important to engage with all partners. When those partners raise valid concerns about the implementation of the reformed junior cycle, it is important to engage with them. That engagement has been ongoing and the national working group has been established. However, it is exceptionally difficult to operate in an environment where a significant number of the representative groups involved in the process have not made written submissions. We need those ideas as to how we can make this work to the best possible extent. Teachers are professionals and I have every confidence in their professionalism and integrity. Until they put their heads together and use their professional experience to suggest how exactly we can implement the reform, it is very difficult to move forward.