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

I welcome the Minister to this role and wish her the very best. I have no doubt that with her background and experience in other Departments and the ability she has shown in politics, she will do her best and justify her appointment. I look forward to working with her. On the day that is in it, I wish the outgoing Minister of State, Deputy Ciaran Cannon, the very best. He was very good to work with. He worked very hard and was very committed to his role. It is unfortunate that he is moving on and someone else is taking over. However, I wish the Minister of State, Deputy Damien English, well in his appointment. No doubt Deputy Cannon will contribute further in many other roles and I particularly wish him well today.

I remind the Minister that there are many issues which must be a priority for her as she begins her new tenure. The future of small rural schools is one on which I sincerely hope she will change tack from her predecessor. I also hope she will reverse the damage done to guidance counselling and to the post-leaving certificate sector. However, one of the biggest issues facing her as the new Minister is the question of junior certificate reform.

I want to be clear from the outset that my party and I accept there is a strong case, rationale and need for junior cycle reform in our secondary schools. We also acknowledge that such reform must include change in terms of how examinations are done to ensure the junior certificate examination process becomes a much lower stakes examination and that the focus is on learning and not on final examinations and on teaching to an examination. However, we believe that such a substantial reform of our education system needs to have detailed implementation plan and we hold that it is essential to involve all stakeholders in a process of consultation and implementation and that teachers in our post-primary schools must have confidence in these reforms. Above all, we believe that any reform of the system should not diminish the integrity and transparency of the current junior cycle.

It is almost two years since the former Minister, Deputy Quinn, launched his reforms.

Right from the start, there was deep concern about the absence of any independent assessment of the new proposed junior cycle student award. This concern was underscored by the fact that the Minister ignored the recommendations of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment to retain some element of a final independent examination. At no stage did the former Minister appear to be engaging seriously with post-primary teachers on the reforms. Now, there is a very real prospect of industrial action in our schools on foot of this.

Teachers, parents and students alike want to ensure there is consistency in the marks given for the junior cycle student award across the country, that students can have faith their results are genuine and the marking system is independent. That is a fair request. A recent survey indicated over 60% of parents are in favour of retaining independent assessment at junior cycle level. Speaking to many students myself, I know they very much believe in the need for independent assessment.

In this the last week before the recess, will the Minister engage on these issues and delay the start of the implementation of the new junior cycle so that English begins the following September alongside science? In that way, the overall roll-out will not be delayed. This will ensure everyone is working together and we see a new approach in addressing the issues I have outlined.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy McConalogue for his good wishes. I am sure we will have much engagement in the future.

I am committed to reform of the junior certificate to ensure our young students have a programme and an assessment framework that best serves their interests. This reform is best pursued through dialogue and consultation with all stakeholders so the maximum degree of consensus on the reform agenda can be developed.

The introduction of the junior cycle has been slowed down considerably following consultations with all of the partners in education. Phased implementation of junior cycle reform will commence this September with only one subject being changed, English. For those students sitting the junior cycle student award in 2017, only English will be different. All other subjects will be as they are now.

New specifications for the remaining subjects will be introduced on a phased basis between now and September 2019. The junior cycle for teachers support service has seen a highly positive response to its continuing professional development programmes not only in the last academic year, but also from the registration data available for the coming academic year. Up to 4,814 English teachers attended continuing professional development during 2013 and 2014, that is, 90% of English teachers registered with the junior cycle for teachers support service; 5,385 English teachers have registered for the forthcoming school year 2014-15; some 1,690 science teachers across 371 schools have registered with the junior cycle for teachers support service; 1,240 school leaders attended the junior cycle for teachers support service school leadership seminars during 2013-14; and 509 schools have, to date, requested the junior cycle for teachers support service to facilitate junior cycle whole-school continuing professional development during 2014-15.

It is clear a significant number of our schools, their teachers and their leaders, are interested in implementing the new framework. In addition, new members are being added to the junior cycle for teachers support service team this autumn. A deputy director for assessment has been appointed, as has a team of six full-time members, to address whole-school continuing professional development. This team will be supported by 60 to 80 associates who will be recruited in the autumn to work part-time on whole-school development.

Notwithstanding this, I am eager that all voices in education are heard on the matter of junior cycle reform and I am anxious to have a meaningful dialogue with teacher unions on this vital issue. I have also asked my officials to continue to have discussions with the partners on junior cycle reform. A report of the working group, established by my predecessor to enable discussion to take place, was published in May. This report indicated some progress has been achieved and many constructive proposals have been made, particularly by the management-patron bodies, which will inform the discussions. I look forward to receiving similar written submissions from the teacher unions. There is clearly further work to be done to achieve all necessary elements of the reform. Without a written submission from teachers, it is not possible to have a balanced debate, representing their views alongside those of the other partners.

The provision of quality education with its emphasis on skills development and of assessing to improve learning is key to engaging our young people in a meaningful education that relates to their lives, to their experiences and to the opportunities that surround them. The junior cycle should be about learning to learn. Most of all, however, it should be about motivating our young people with the expectations and aspirations they can achieve and progress with confidence, full of creativity and innovation, into their senior cycle. It is essential we begin this work as soon as possible.

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

The Minister outlined how it is important junior cycle reform is achieved through dialogue, consultation and consensus. Unfortunately, these were absent in the approach taken by the former Minister, Deputy Ruairí Quinn. Despite his welcome willingness to bring reforms forward in the junior certificate, the way he went about it has left very few of the stakeholders on the bus with the first reforms being introduced in September with the possibility of industrial action occurring. All of this is happening with the former Minister, Deputy Quinn, not in charge of it anymore. It is important the new Minister, Deputy Jan O’Sullivan, takes a different approach to ensure these reforms are implemented successfully. It is not the right footing to start off on when there is an industrial dispute in the background.

The Minister informed me that 10% of English teachers have not taken part in the necessary induction courses for the new curriculum which will start on 1 September. She also said the timetable as to how the other reforms will be rolled out has already been re-arranged because of the impasse. It is now time to take a fresh approach. The Minister should postpone the introduction of the new English curriculum in September until the following year alongside science. By that stage, all involved will be on board. The genuine concerns of parents, teachers and the wider community about independent assessment of the written part of the examination, accounting for 60% of it, will have been addressed. My party and the rest of the House support much-needed junior certificate reform. However, we do not support the approach taken by the former Minister, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, which has left the reforms, so important to our education system, mired and will result in them taking off on the wrong footing. Will she consider deferring the implementation of the new junior certificate for 12 months to ensure we are properly prepared for it and that it happens in an appropriate manner?

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I expect to meet with the education partners in the near future and look forward to hearing their views, as well as having a constructive relationship. I will not give any commitments today in advance of these discussions. The phased approach gives everyone involved the opportunity to develop competences, capacity and to manage the reform in a measured way. This was the approach of my predecessor and will continue to be the approach.

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

What about the 10% of teachers not trained?

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I gave the Deputy figures for the numbers who have signed up for the coming year. There has been a considerable engagement from teachers. There are other partners involved as well and I intend to listen to them all before I make any decisions on changing the timetable set out already.

When one gets to the point of having discussions, that generally resolves issues. That is the approach I intend to take.