Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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296. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will delay the introduction of the new junior cycle student award from September 2014 by introducing English along with science in September 2015 in order to ensure that proper preparations are completed at school level and to see the resolution of ongoing industrial disputes and non-co-operation action by teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31190/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I and my officials are very open to discussing issues of disagreement relating to the JCSA with the teacher unions and have been all along. I have asked my officials to continue to have discussions with the partners on Junior Cycle.

At present I have detailed suggestions, particularly from the management/patron bodies, which will inform the discussions going forward, but I continue to await similar written submissions from the teacher unions. The door remains open for such discussions.

In the meantime, the Junior Cycle for Teachers (JCT) support service has seen a highly positive response to its continuing professional development (CPD) programme for the coming academic year:

- 5,385 English teachers have registered for the forthcoming school year 2014/15

- 4,814 English teachers attended CPD during 2013/14 (or 90% of English teachers registered with JCT)

- 1,690 Science teachers across 371 schools have registered with JCT

- 1,240 school leaders attended the JCT school leadership seminars during 2013/14

- 509 schools have, to date, requested JCT to facilitate Junior Cycle whole school CPD during 2014/2015.

It is clear that a significant number of our schools – their teachers and their leaders - are interested in implementing the new framework, as can be seen from the interest and participation levels last year along with ongoing indications of involvement with CPD in the coming academic year.

I have already extended the time period for the phased introduction of the Framework for Junior Cycle and have slowed down the introduction of the initial subjects at the request of the partners. However, this phased implementation will commence this September and new specifications for the remaining subjects will be introduced between now and September 2019.

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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297. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the situation faced by many Irish students currently enrolled in the EURSC-European Schools who have sat the European Baccalaureate in 2014 and have been told that they will need to re-sit exams despite Vice President and Commissioner Sefcovic having assured the European Parliament that all necessary steps had been taken after 2012 to prevent a repetition of the incident of 2012; and the steps she will take to address this matter. [31191/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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My attention has been drawn to this matter which affected the Chemistry examination within the European Baccalaureate in 2014.

A communication issued by the Chairman of the 2014 Baccalaureate Examining Board through the Office of the Secretary General of the European Schools indicates that the main difficulty concerned the time available to complete the written examination paper. In accordance with procedures for implementing the regulations governing the operation of the European Baccalaureate, the Chairman of the Baccalaureate Examining Board decided on two actions. Firstly, the results were moderated to ensure that they were within the pattern of results of previous examinations. Secondly, candidates have been offered the option to re-sit the examination in September. The Office of the Secretary General of the European Schools reports that few students are expected to exercise this option.

On becoming aware of the issue, my Department made immediate contact with the Office of the Secretary General of the European Schools. Representatives of my Department will continue to pursue improvement in the quality assurance processes associated with the examination through involvement with the European Baccalaureate Unit and the Board of Governors of the European Schools.