Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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96. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he will take to ensure that all art teachers are trained in both the new junior certificate visual art course and the new leaving certificate coursework; the reason no guidelines have been issued to schools on a new marking scheme; the reason for the delay in issuing exam papers to schools that were posted online on 2 October 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45513/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Junior Cycle for Teachers (JCT) is the Department service supporting schools in their implementation of the Framework for Junior Cycle through the provision of appropriate high quality continuing professional development (CPD) for school leaders and teachers, and the provision of effective teaching and learning resources.

All schools have been asked to register their teachers with JCT in order to facilitate the delivery of Junior Cycle CPD. In the case of visual art, 1,347 teachers have now registered and 424 have to date attended a CPD workshop for visual art. It is intended that all teachers of Junior Cycle Visual Art will receive a full day facilitated subject workshop in 2017/18. Art teachers will also be supported by ongoing online resources and live webinars.

In relation to CPD for teachers of Leaving Certificate Art, the Professional Development Service for Teachers provided a programme of support for teachers of Art prior to the introduction of the revised assessment arrangements for the subject.

The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations.

In view of this, I have forwarded your questions on the operational aspects of the examinations to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.