Written answers

Tuesday, 26 April 2022

Department of Education and Skills

State Examinations

Photo of Cian O'CallaghanCian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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884. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if teachers will be compensated for working during the Easter break on the oral and practical examinations under the proposed changes to the leaving certificate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20024/22]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As the deputy is aware, on 29 March I announced an ambitious programme of work for a reimagined Senior Cycle of education where the student is at the centre of their Senior Cycle experience. The three tenets of Senior Cycle reform are to:

- Empower students to meet the challenges of the 21st century

- Enrich the student experience and build on what’s strong in our current system

- Embed wellbeing and reduce student stress levels

The reforms I announced include initiatives to spread the assessment load for students and do so in a way that enhances student wellbeing. In future years, I want to see language Oral examinations and the Music practical performance taking place during the first week of the Easter break of 6th year, in similar fashion to the Easter 2022 arrangements which I announced last December. The advice of the State Examinations Commission (SEC) on the implementation of these changes on a permanent basis, following an evaluation of the arrangements in 2022 by the SEC, will be duly considered in this regard.

The management of the State examinations including the Oral components to the language subjects is a matter for the SEC. At present, the Commission recruits the required examiners in a given subject on short term contracts under which payments are made to examiners for the work undertaken.

Photo of Cian O'CallaghanCian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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885. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures that will be taken to ensure objectivity when teachers will be correcting their own students' work under the proposed changes to the leaving certificate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20025/22]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As the deputy is aware, on 29 March I announced an ambitious programme of work for a reimagined Senior Cycle where the student is at the centre of their Senior Cycle experience. The three tenets of Senior Cycle reform are to:

- Empower students to meet the challenges of the 21st century

- Enrich the student experience and build on what’s strong in our current system

- Embed wellbeing and reduce student stress levels

I have asked the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) together with the State Examinations Commission (SEC) to jointly research and explore how an SEC externally-moderated, teacher-based form of assessment could be possible within the mix of approaches used to assess each subject. This assessment component will have a weighting of 40% of the total marks available.

I know that in moving to externally moderated, teacher based forms of assessment some teachers, parents and students may have concerns. The NCCA and SEC will have extensive engagement with teachers and other stakeholders as the necessary development work progresses. The “network schools” approach will be used to introduce this aspect of Senior Cycle development, which will allow each element of the revised curriculum and assessment approaches to be carefully worked through.

There is no doubt that teacher based assessment broadens the range of skills or types of learning that can be assessed. It must be ensured that the additional components are adding that value by ensuring they do test additional skills beyond those already tested by written examination. We must also ensure, in the design of teacher assessment and other additional components that there is equity for all students and that we do not create any disadvantage for any student.

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