Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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70. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures she will take in the assessment of the leaving certificate course to eliminate undue stress for students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57289/21]

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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The leaving certificate is the most stressful exam for young adults anywhere in Europe. It is a complete outlier. Nowhere else are young adults forced to jump through hoops such as this. Yet, the Minister is asking 60,000 young people to do this exam next summer, despite the fact these students have missed months of classroom teaching time at the start of this year. Some students and teachers are missing school now with Covid and students, to boot, are sitting in freezing classrooms. I ask the Minister to comment.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Having worked for many years in the classroom, I appreciate that exam time and most notably, leaving certificate exam time, can be a stressful time for students. Of course, the pandemic has added to the additional challenges faced by all in the school sector. The decisions taken by Government on leaving certificate 2021, in the context of the impact on teaching and learning of the Covid-19 pandemic, were taken with the best interests of students in mind.

The NCCA's advisory report on the senior cycle review has been submitted to me for consideration and will be published once that consideration is complete. Those considerations are being progressed with the best interests of students in mind.

The advisory report maps out, in broad terms, an ambitious programme of work, which would enable the development and construction of the components that would make up a framework for senior cycle and will involve further ongoing stakeholder engagement and consultation. The voices of students have contributed to the advisory report and will again be heard in those further engagements and consultations.

With regard to the 2022 examinations the Deputy referenced, adjusted assessment arrangements for students taking leaving certificate examinations next year were issued last August in advance of the school year beginning. These arrangements are designed to take account of the disrupted learning experience of students during the Covid-19 pandemic, by incorporating adjustments in a manner similar to the initial adjustments that were made for the students taking examinations in 2021.

Like departmental officials, I am keenly aware of the significant impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on our education system over the past two years, including its impact on students who were due to take their leaving certificate examinations in those years. I expect that the lessons to be learned from the pandemic will be considered and, where appropriate, will assist in informing the redevelopment of senior cycle and reducing undue stress going forward.

I am conscious the Deputy referenced the 2022 exam and for that reason, I highlight the measures currently in place have been agreed by the advisory group and are being made available to schools.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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The adjustments are minimal and would barely be noticed. I asked the question in the context of students having missed months of direct classroom teaching time at the start of the year. Many students and teachers are missing school with Covid and students are sitting in freezing classrooms. It is wrong to ask students to do a traditional leaving certificate next summer. There needs to be an alternative. I would support an open access policy with investment and guaranteed places in third level. What is the Minister suggesting? It does not cut it to say these minuscule adjustments are sufficient compensation for the class of 2022.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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It is important to point out, as I have said previously, that within the education system, we have operated successfully on the basis of partnership and inclusion. The advisory group is advising on the examinations and how we would progress and was supportive and helpful in finding a pathway forward for the classes of 2020 and 2021. This group comprises students, parents, teachers and school representatives and, collectively, they agreed a process for the accommodations that would be made for 2020, 2021 and indeed, 2022. Those accommodations are in place and have been advised to schools. There is also a provision for a second sitting of the leaving certificate examination. Of course, we operate under the guidance of public health. Should there be any change in public health information or guidance, we will pivot and put in place other additional contingencies that might be required.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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Mr. Paul Crone, director of the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals, said today that many secondary schools are struggling to find enough teachers to provide cover. Schools will, of course, prioritise to provide the maximum cover for leaving certificate students, but teacher shortages can impact all students, leaving certificate students included. I am aware the Minister brought in a package of emergency measures to provide cover earlier. However, will she continue to maintain visits to schools by school inspectors? If so, why, in the middle of a crisis such as this, would she continue to use fully-qualified teachers for such a role? Does she propose to keep them in that role or will she deploy them to provide the cover so desperately needed in schools?

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I want to be clear that there is a mechanism in place in terms of the measures we bring in for accommodations, such as those for leaving certificate 2022. We work with the advisory group, which is a representative group. Significant measures are also in place. If there is to be a change in any public health advice to require any additional measures, we will keep everything under review. The measures introduced earlier are quite comprehensive and add to previous measures in place. We have made clear CPD, in the form of substitutional CPD, will be deferred until after the mid-term break. All those teachers and those who have been seconded to the Department for that work will be released and made available. All other avenues, in terms of other personnel, will also be kept under review.