Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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60. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department has undertaken a study to determine if the increase in those failing ordinary level maths is attributable to the removal of foundation levels maths from the junior cycle. [13576/23]

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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There is growing frustration among many parents around the country that the Department is focusing on ideological battles, against the will of parents, rather than focusing on the bread and butter issues of the education system. Most parents would rather that the Department focuses on having school buildings that are operational, yet the Government has paused the building of new builds at the moment. My question concerns the issue of subjects. The Irish Mathematics Teachers’ Association appeared before the Oireachtas education committee this week and voiced its concern that the fact foundation level maths has been removed from the junior cycle has caused serious difficulties for many students. I would like to know what level of research the Government has done into the causes of those difficulties.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The 2015 junior cycle framework incorporates a modernised curriculum across all subjects and a balanced range of assessment modes that more appropriately addresses the needs of students in the 21st century. It provides students with learning opportunities that strike a balance between learning knowledge and developing a wide range of skills and thinking abilities. Due to the cancellation of junior cycle examinations in 2020 and 2021 in response to the Covid pandemic, 2022 was the first year in which all subjects were examined under the junior cycle framework. Hence, while the junior cycle mathematics specification was implemented in 2018, it was examined for the first time in 2022.

While the junior cycle framework is in the relatively early stages of its implementation, the reception and impact of the new courses being studied, and their assessment, is under review and evaluation. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NCCA, will conduct an early insights review of each newly introduced subject specification. These will gather feedback from school management, teacher-educators and interested parties in relation to the experience of the subject in question and associated assessment arrangements. For junior cycle mathematics, it is anticipated that this review will be initiated in the fourth quarter of this year.

In addition, a team of independent researchers from the school of education at the University of Limerick has been commissioned by the NCCA to explore the implementation and impact of the framework for junior cycle. This is a mixed methods, multidimensional longitudinal research study, exploring the experiences of schools over a period of four years. The first report of this study was published by the NCCA in October last year. Findings from this research will inform the NCCA's ongoing work to support schools' implementation of the framework for junior cycle.

Neither the State Examinations Commission, SEC, nor the Department refer to students passing or failing exam subjects. The grade achieved represents a student's achievement in the particular subject and should reflect the student's best efforts in that subject.

The language of pass or fail may not best reflect a student's achievement.

In relation to foundation level, the Deputy may be aware that under the junior cycle framework, engagement with course specifications is at a common level in most instances in the level 3 programme, which is the level taken by most junior cycle students.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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One of the objectives of the Department should be, first and foremost, to listen to teachers. Teachers have a deep understanding of how different students learn and what their needs are, and most polling of teachers in this circumstance shows that they are pretty much unanimously opposed to the Government's deletion of foundation level mathematics. A recent poll showed that 87% of teachers either disagree or strongly disagree with the Government's policy.

Removing foundation level mathematics is having a serious consequence on those who struggle with mathematics. We have seen the numbers who are failing ordinary mathematics rise from 5.2% in 2019 to 7.2% in 2022. This has a significant consequence for people.

Students are being forced to undertake examinations that they will not perform well in. This will have a terrible effect on their confidence and self-esteem and will kill their passion for mathematics. I would implore the Minister to listen to the teachers.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I reiterate that June 2022 was the first time that this examination was taken. There is an absolute commitment from the Department in all subjects, including this one, that there will be the early insight review. There is equally a commitment - it is right and proper - that we would allow time for the examination to bed in, but that this review will take place in the fourth quarter of 2023. The review will involve seeking the views of school management. It will involve taking the views of teachers, educators and interested parties in this particular subject area.

It is important that the subject be allowed to run, that it be experienced and that there would be a review. There have been reviews previously and often amendments, changes and accommodations are made as a consequence where they are deemed to be necessary. It is appropriate that the review be allowed to take place this year. There will be learnings from that review. If and where necessary, accommodations, changes and amendments can be made.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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I would suggest to the Minister that we front-load research in terms of the decision-making process. I welcome that there is a review but my worry is that this process will be slow and that many children will have to go through the current system with regard to foundation level mathematics and that will cause major difficulties for thousands of students around the country.

If we start with a platform of making sure we have an education system that is designed around the needs of the students, first and foremost to allow students to find a level that suits their ability, and is clearly in tune with the views of teachers, mistakes like this will not be made in the future. There is collateral damage from mistakes such as this. The collateral damage is that over a number of years, students go through a process which tells them they are failures. The pressure that puts on children is unacceptable.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I reiterate that the language of failure is not used by the Department.

I want to be clear that the early insight review will take place this year. That is important. I can give the Deputy an example of an early insight review which took place recently in terms of junior cycle Irish T1 and T2. The report of the review was available on the NCCA's website. Following the review, and informed by its findings, the Department issued a circular amending the assessment arrangements for classroom-based assessments 1 and 2. It is also planned to bring about a further review of junior cycle Irish from September 2023.

With any new subject that comes in, there is always the opportunity - it is important that the opportunity is there - for review and for amendment, addition or whatever as a consequence of the review. The review takes on board the views of school management, teachers, educators and interested parties. That is as it should be.

I confirm that the review of the mathematics will take place in the fourth quarter of 2023.