Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

222. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the efforts being made to resolve the ongoing dispute between his Department and the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland on changes to the revised junior certificate English curriculum; if his attention has been drawn to concerns from schools that the impasse may prevent students from completing the classroom based assessment and assessment task portion of the examination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8575/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The State Examinations Commission (SEC) is the independent body responsible for the administration of the Final Examinations that form part of the assessment procedures for Junior Cycle.  In a recent statement, the SEC has provided reassurance in relation to concerns that some Junior Cycle students may not have opportunities to complete all elements of the SEC’s Junior Cycle Final Examination, in English, in 2017. The Examination comprises an Assessment Task, undertaken in schools, which is worth 10% of the available marks and a Final Examination, in June 2017, representing 90% of the marks. Both elements are marked externally by the SEC.  

Post-primary schools were advised in December 2016 of a second window for the completion by third year students of Junior Cycle English of the second Classroom Based Assessment (CBA) and Assessment Task. The new window for the Assessment Task, which forms part of the Final Examination and which is marked by the SEC, will be in the week beginning 24 April.  

The SEC has stated that it will provide guidance for the completion of the Assessment Task to schools. The Department understands that the guidance to be provided by the SEC to schools will make clear that completion of the Assessment Task in English involves candidates engaging with stimulus material and questions (provided by the NCCA, having been developed in conjunction with the SEC), and then completing a booklet provided by the SEC within the set timeframe. The NCCA and SEC materials are focused on candidates referring to their collection of texts, which they have undertaken over the period of their study of the Junior Cycle English subject specification. The ASTI directive to its members makes it clear that it does not prohibit teachers from facilitating students in creating a Collection of Texts as part of mainstream classroom activity.

The SEC has also stated that the arrangements are in line with those applying in schools for the conduct of externally assessed coursework in a range of subjects across both Junior and Senior Cycle. These longstanding arrangements provide for school supervision and authentication of the completion of work for external assessment by the SEC.

I welcome the reassurance provided by the State Examinations Commission on this issue, and I am satisfied that all students will have the opportunity to complete the Assessment Task and Final Examination.