Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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295. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will retain independent assessment for the written examination element of the new junior cycle student award; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31189/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The State Examinations Commission (SEC) will continue to externally mark the final assessment for English, Irish and Maths in a transitional period, while the system becomes familiar with the challenges presented by changed assessment approaches.

The SEC will provide a definitive timetable for the final assessment component of all other subjects, the final papers and detailed marking schemes. These marking schemes will direct the marking by the teachers. All assessment components, both school based and final, will be subject to a process of internal moderation. Discussions are currently ongoing regarding the possibility of providing external supports for such moderation.

Extensive quality assurance measures are being built into the new Junior Cycle. These include subject specifications with clear learning outcomes; a comprehensive professional development programme for teachers along with principals and deputy principals in educational assessment, including professional development of processes of moderation; the introduction ( over the next few years) of standardised tests for all schools and their 2nd year students in English reading, Mathematics and scientific literacy and in addition in Irish reading for Irish-medium schools; and the NCCA is developing a comprehensive assessment and moderation toolkit.

My Department will monitor the national and school patterns along with the results in the standardised testing of reading, Mathematics and scientific literacy when such tests are introduced. This monitoring will provide further quality assurance and identify any local or national anomalies. A report on overall trends will be published regularly.

Standardised tests in English and Mathematics will commence in Spring 2017 for second year students. Standardised tests for scientific literacy and for Irish in Irish medium schools will be introduced in Spring 2018.

In the event of an unusual pattern of achievement, the Inspectorate of my Department will be advised, and support and evaluation measures will be provided for the school.

Teachers are professionals, I have confidence in their professionalism and integrity. ASTI and the TUI emphasise the teacher's role as that of an advocate, rather than as a judge of their students. But Junior Cycle is different to Senior Cycle. We are fortunate that over 90% of our young people stay on to Senior Cycle and complete the Leaving Certificate. The Junior Certificate is no longer a high stakes examination.

I want the JCSA to be a support for learning. I know that teachers are capable of assessing their own students at this level, it happens in other jurisdictions. Assessment is in reality about improving students learning, not proving it.

Irish teachers are a particularly well qualified and professional cohort and can bring this expertise to bear on assessment which is a key part of the learning process.

With many resources being provided, including the Assessment and Moderation Toolkit (which will include exemplars of student work outlining standards) and CPD, the teachers will understand and implement the standards being sought with confidence.