Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

125. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the submission by school management and professional bodies to his Department on the need for an external assessment model to support the process of school-based assessment in the Junior Cycle Framework, if he will be proposing a model of external assessment; if he will provide information regarding same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9152/14]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

139. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the submission by school management and professional bodies to his Department on the resources needed for the successful implementation of the new Junior Cycle Framework, if he will consider lifting the moratorium on posts of responsibility in order that schools can appoint appropriate personnel to educational leadership posts, namely, moderation co-ordinators at school level and moderation facilitators at subject level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9153/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 125 and 139 together.

I welcome the submission by the management bodies and the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD) in relation to assessment and moderation which was made in the context of ongoing discussions with the education stakeholders.

On January 17 a national working group of education stakeholders met to discuss issues relating to Junior Cycle. Following that meeting a number of sub-groups were established including one on "Quality Assurance and Support for Teacher Assessment" and "Workload and Implementation Issues for Schools and Teachers". The submission was made to facilitate discussion at these groups.

The issue of external moderation and resources, including posts, fall to be discussed in the sub-groups and in turn reported to the national working group. It is not my intention to pre-empt the conclusions of the sub-group or the national working group. I have asked that a full report be made to me by mid-May and at that point, I will make a final decision on these issues.