Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

390. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the current arrangement for sraithpictiúir in the Leaving Certificate Irish oral exam, whereby 10 pictures are required to be learned for assessment, will remain in place for academic year 2026 (details supplied), or if it will return to the 20 picture assessment as was the requirement pre 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44218/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The sraitheanna pictiúr, or picture sequences, are a component of the common Irish Oral test for Higher Level and Ordinary Level candidates, with the Oral test accounting for 40% of the overall marks for Leaving Cert Irish.

In response to issues highlighted in National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) and An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta Gaelscolaíochta (COGG) research about the sraitheanna pictiúr and the conversational elements of the Oral Irish exam, the State Examinations Commission (SEC) introduced adjustments to the structure of the Common Oral examination for the 2020 exams and thereafter. These aim to create greater opportunity for candidate-examiner interaction and so give the candidate scope to display their competence while keeping a balance between the different parts of the oral exam. Note that the oral examinations did not take place in 2020 as a result of the pandemic.

Since then there have been adjustments to assessment arrangements in light of the pandemic’s impact on teaching and learning. These adjustments have been made with due regard for the principles of equity, fairness and integrity, in relation to student-to-student, subject-to-subject, and year-to-year comparisons. They include a reduction in the number of sraitheanna pictiúr, from 20 to 10.

On 17 April 2024, I confirmed that adjustments will be made to the assessment arrangements due to sit State examinations 2025. These adjustments will be the same as that applied to State examinations in 2023 and 2024 but updated as relevant.

Detail on the adjusted assessment arrangements for every subject/module descriptor in the Leaving Certificate Established, Leaving Certificate Applied, Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme and Junior Cycle programmes were issued to schools on 18 September 2024, and schools were asked to ensure that all students were made aware of these changes.