Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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406. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware that the decision to remove the junior certificate from the Youthreach programme has been met with huge disappointment by the pupils and parents directly affected, as they still want the junior certificate programme as an option in order to achieve a meaningful education; if there was consultation with young people or parents before this decision was taken; if she agrees that this decision is creating a new barrier to education for those affected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11584/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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In July 2015, the Minister for Education and Skills published the Framework for Junior Cycle 2015. This framework was developed following extensive consultation by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), which included a symposium on the future of junior cycle, online questionnaires, focus groups and written submissions. This consultation included the vocational education sector, now referred to as Education and Training Boards (ETBs), who run the Youthreach centres. The report on this consultation is available on NCCA.ie.

Junior Cycle subjects were introduced on a phased basis up to 2019, phasing out the old Junior Certificate syllabuses, with all of the new Junior Cycle subjects being examined by the 2022 Junior Cycle examinations.

The Junior Cycle incorporates a modernised curriculum across all subjects and gives schools greater flexibility to design programmes that are suited to the needs of their students. Schools will have flexibility and discretion to decide what combination of subjects, short courses, Priority Learning Units (PLUs) or other learning experiences will be provided in the three year programme.

Reporting under the Framework for Junior Cycle is captured in a Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement (JCPA). In addition to recording the results of examinations, the JCPA includes the results of short courses, classroom based assessments as well as wellbeing and what are known as Students’ Other Areas of Learning.

As laid out in circular 0059/2021 - Arrangements for the implementation of the Framework for Junior Cycle with particular reference to the school year 2021/22- in the case of Youthreach Centres as well as Special Schools, Detention Centres and Adult Learners in other non-standard school centres where students undertake the Junior Cycle, a part-completed JCPA template will be provided to these schools and centres through an automated system developed by the Department called the Junior Cycle Assessment Database (JCAD). The template will include the outcomes of any SEC Final Examinations taken by students where applicable.

There is no policy to remove the Junior Cycle programme from the Youthreach programme. It would be a matter for the relevant ETBs as to what programmes are provided in their Youthreach centres.