Seanad debates
Thursday, 15 June 2023
Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters
State Examinations
9:30 am
Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House on behalf of the Minister for Education. My question relates to the inconsistencies that have arisen in respect of leaving certificate 2023. I am sure she has heard the reports on the radio and perhaps she herself has been contacted about this. Students in the area I represent who are sitting the leaving certificate or junior certificate were very upset and a great deal of stress and pain was caused to students by the lack of consistency. Eight or ten years ago, there was always a similar thread running through the questions, but this time, the way the questions were phrased gave people an awful shock and it took them a while to understand what was being asked of them.
I was contacted by one strong student who sent me a text message to ask whether there was any hope of bringing the State Examinations Commission before a committee, for example, to hold it to task. That was how upset the student was about it. I am not asking that the questions be made easier or anything like that, but it was unfair, not least for students who had never previously sat a State exam. For the junior certificate students who are sitting exams this year, these are their first State exams and they will take the leaving certificate in two or three years' time.
What is going to happen? Will the bell curve be reconsidered in the correcting of the papers? I would like to get a commitment from the Department that there will be consistency and that common sense will prevail. This has put so much strain on students. Many of them were upset for the entire weekend. It is not right, in the middle of State exams, that students should be so upset, and it is not just them but also their families.
Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Senator for raising this important matter and welcome the opportunity to update the House. As she said, I am taking the matter on behalf of the Minister for Education.
Throughout the education system, including in respect of State examinations, progress is continuing to return the education system to normality following the disruption to teaching and learning resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic. The Minister and her Government colleagues recognise the impact the pandemic has had on students and their well-being and the disruption to teaching and learning it has caused. As I am sure the Senator is aware, the State Examinations Commission has responsibility for the development, operation and delivery of State examinations. I acknowledge the work and commitment of the commission and, indeed, all education stakeholders in the ongoing progress being made to return to normality.
The Senator will be aware summer 2022 marked the return to externally delivered examinations for all candidates in both the leaving certificate and the junior cycle. This was a welcome step towards normality after the calculated and accredited grades process, which was implemented in 2020 and 2021. More than 135,000 students combined are sitting this year's leaving certificate, leaving certificate applied and junior cycle examinations at more than 800 post-primary schools and other venues throughout Ireland. I welcome the recent confirmation by the State Examinations Commission that it intends to issue the leaving certificate 2023 results on 25 August. This is a full week earlier than was the case for the 2022 results, which issued on 2 September last, and it provides clarity for students, parents, teachers and other stakeholders. This is a significant and welcome step towards pre-pandemic norms in the timing of the issuing of results.
In recent years, adjusted assessment arrangements have been made for both the leaving certificate and the junior cycle to take account of the disruption caused by the pandemic. Last September, the Minister announced that adjustments would be made to assessment arrangements for the 2023 cohorts in line with the impact of the pandemic, and in May, she indicated those adjustments will also be made to the assessment arrangements for students due to sit State examinations in 2024. With regard to grade inflation in leaving certificate results, the Minister has been clear there should be no cliff edge return to pre-pandemic grade levels in the leaving certificate and, as a consequence, post-marking adjustments will be made in 2023.
The Senator is quite right in saying I too was inundated with a lot of upset calls last week, particularly on Saturday. Parents were very concerned for the welfare of their young people. To be fair, there has been a great deal of positive support in the media regarding how to move on and focus on the remaining exams, but I take on board what the Senator is saying. The Minister is acutely aware of the issues the Senator wished to raise, which is why she was adamant this Commencement matter be taken with a view to airing those concerns. There is a great deal of upset not just for the students sitting exams this year but also for those who will come forward next year and might never have sat a State exam previously. I will convey the Senator's concerns to the Minister.
Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
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I appreciate that. I hope I am not insulting the Minister of State in pointing out she is not the Minister for Education.I appreciate her acknowledgement that students have been through a lot, as the Minister, Deputy Foley, has acknowledged as well. I hope some leniency is given to students. They are in the middle of the second week of examinations. It has been a really awful time for students and they are still very upset and downbeat about it. I hope leniency will prevail because the situation is not fair on the students, especially those who are looking to go to college or do an apprenticeship. They need their marks and many of them are concerned that if their mathematics result is down, they will not get into their course. There is a great emphasis by the Government on science, technology, engineering and mathematics, STEM, subjects. I thank the Minister of State for taking this matter and for undertaking to engage with the Minister on it.
Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Senator for raising this important issue. I hope the information that has been provided to the House is helpful. The Minister recognises the pressures on students sitting State examinations and the pressures on schools preparing them for these important milestones. The State Examinations Commission and the Department of Education are committed to continuing to work together to return the greatest possible level of normality for young people.
Regarding last week's higher level mathematics paper one, the Minister understands the SEC has advised that it prepares examination papers and drafts marking schemes through a rigorous development process. Those involved are experts in their subjects and experienced teachers. The commission has also advised that commentary and correspondence on the examinations from students, parents, teachers, professional bodies and other interested parties is a normal part of the examination process. Such correspondence is brought to the attention of the chief examiner and is considered in the refinement of the draft marking scheme. This approach to the development of the final marking scheme aims to ensure consistency in the marking of papers and fairness for candidates. To assist and support leaving certificate students, the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, has developed a range of online well-being resources. It is important to put that information on the record of the House.
Martin Conway (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House and taking all four Commencement matters. We know she is very busy.