Schooldays.ie - Ireland's Online Resource for Parents & Teachers

Parenting & Education in Ireland

Schooldays.ie - Ireland's Online Resource for Parents & Teachers

Parenting & Education

× Home Parents Associations About Us
.
Log in Register Forgot password? ×

Quinn to announce proposals for Junior Cert overhaul


Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 04/10/2012. Quinn to announce proposals for Junior Cert overhaulTags: Secondary School News

Details will be released later today (October 4th) of proposals for a new Junior Certificate that would see students no longer sit a state examination at the end of their third year.

Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn is expected to explain how new arrangements would see schools offer a wide range of subjects and short courses.

Students would be assessed over the three years of the junior cycle through schoolwork and according to RTE will sit annual standardised exams.

The paper would be based on revised syllabuses drawn up by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment and marked by teachers.

Along with traditional subjects, the new Junior Certificate programme would include a number of short courses in digital media, sustainable energy, entrepreneurship and Chinese language and culture.

Under the new arrangements, students will take standardised tests in numeracy and English reading in second year from 2014 and in science from 2016.

Written by Donal WalshADNFCR-2163-ID-801462941-ADNFCR


Comments

SchoolDays

(04-10-2012 14:05)


Press Release from ISSU

The Irish Second-level Students Union (ISSU) warmly welcomes the details of Junior Cycle Reform which Minister Ruairi Quinn has announced today.

The changes which have been announced today will put the student at the centre of their own education, and go a long way to ensuring that learning outcomes rather than exam performance are the main focus of junior cycle education in Ireland for years to come.

The presence of English, Irish, Maths and Science as standardised tests will ensure that at it's core, the new Junior Cycle will preserve academic integrity, and it provides a clear statement on the importance of science in addition to the traditional core subjects of English, Irish and Maths.

ISSU Education Officer, Brendan Power said: The new Junior Cycle has the capacity to revolutionise the educational experience of future second-level students in Ireland. I firmly believe that the new Junior Cycle will result in a more practical and functional education for students and prepare them for life and future education, rather than train them for exams.

SchoolDays

(04-10-2012 15:19)


Press Release from ASTI - Abolition of external Junior Cert state exam deeply regrettable

The ASTI has described the announcement today by the Minister for Education and Skills Ruairi Quinn that the Junior Certificate State Examination is to be abolished as deeply regrettable.


ASTI General Secretary Pat King said: While there is an overwhelming consensus that the current Junior Certificate needs to be reformed, it is most regrettable that the Minister has announced the end of what is for students, parents and teachers a credible, independent, objective and fair examination and certification system.

The Junior Cert is seen as having a high status by students, parents and teachers. It is this high status which provides a focus for student motivation, learning and achievement at Junior Cycle level. Students from all kinds of backgrounds and with a diverse range of interests, abilities and talents are proud of their achievements in the Junior Cert.

The manner in which todays announcement regarding the Junior Certificate Examination has been made, without consultation with the education partners including parents and teachers, is profoundly disappointing. Education reform is a serious and sensitive matter which can have significant consequences for young people, parents, schools and teachers. It is not something that should be used for eliciting shock and awe, but should follow meaningful engagement with the relevant parties.

Mr King said todays announcement sidelines important recommendations made to the Minister by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment late last year. These include the proposal that the reformed Junior Cycle include an externally assessed state exam and that national certification be retained.

The ASTI is extremely concerned by the announcement that the state-awarded Junior Certificate is to be replaced with a school-awarded certificate. It would be grossly naive to presume that a certificate awarded by a school would hold the same status as one awarded by the state. Low status is not the same as low stakes.

The removal of an externally-based assessment model based on nationally established criteria where written exams, project work, and course work are marked anonymously, outside the school will impact negatively on the perception of impartiality of exam grades and on student-teacher relations.

SchoolDays

(04-10-2012 15:20)


TUI Response to Ministers Announcement

The Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) has expressed concern that the reform of the Junior Certificate will impact negatively on those schools located in communities worst hit by the recession. The union has suggested that changes may be driven by a budgetary rather than educational rationale.

Speaking this afternoon, TUI General Secretary John MacGabhann said:

We are disappointed that teachers as practitioners were not specifically consulted with on these proposals. This is poor practice in the formulation of educational policy.

TUI accepts the need to constantly improve the educational experience for Junior Cycle students. However, any changes introduced must maintain the credibility and integrity of the assessment to ensure public confidence. We would have a concern that the effective transformation of the Junior Certificate from a high stakes examination to an internal school assessment process may reduce public confidence.

Schools have had their resources routinely asset-stripped by successive governments and there is a genuine fear that fee paying schools and those schools based in affluent communities where fundraising is an established practice will have a distinct advantage over those schools in areas ravaged by socioeconomic disadvantage where too many students are often without basics such as textbooks.

In respect of any new assessment methods, TUIs long-held position is that time, external moderation, inservice training and payment where appropriate must be provided.

Clearly, there is a serious concern about increased workload for teachers as a result of these proposed changes. This must be looked at in a context where schools have had staffing allocations slashed and have suffered a litany of other cutbacks to vital programmes.

Regrettably, it seems that key elements of this initiative may be driven by a budgetary rather than educational rationale.

SchoolDays

(04-10-2012 15:32)


IVEA welcomes proposals for reforming Junior Cycle education

The announcement today by Minister Ruair Quinn of a major overhaul of the Junior Cycle education has been broadly welcomed by IVEA as a vital step towards ensuring that our young people have the opportunity to acquire the skills and competences essential to making the most of their lives - in the family, in the community and in the workplace.

According to IVEA General Secretary, Michael Moriarty 'While there is much to welcome in today's announcement,' continued Mr Moriarty, 'implementing the Minister's plan is going to pose real challenges for all the partners in education, not least the announcement that teachers would mark their own students' Junior Certificate examination scripts. We now know where we are going and it is important that all partners, especially management, unions and the DES sit down together, without prejudice, to work out how the goals that the Minister has clearly set for reforming Junior Cycle education can be achieved.'
'In many respects,' concluded Mr Moriarty, 'Ireland finds itself at a crossroads, and the reform of our school system is a key piece in ensuring that we take the road to prosperity and cohesion. Hopefully, we can all go down this road together.'

Read full IVEA statement here http://www.ivea.ie/news/2012/10/junior_cycle_reform.shtml

SchoolDays

(04-10-2012 15:28)


Update on Ministers Announcement from Merrion Street.ie

The terminal Junior Certificate Examinations will be replaced with a school-based model of assessment with an emphasis on the quality of students learning experience. This will be done on a phased basis with English being the first subject to be introduced to First Year students in 2014.

The State Examinations Commission (SEC) will be involved in the assessment of English, Irish and Mathematics in the initial years as recognition of the central role these subjects play in literacy and numeracy. These subjects will be examined at higher and ordinary level, while all other subjects will be assessed at common level. The SEC and the NCCA will also provide materials to schools to assist in on-going assessment of students progress and achievement.

From 2014, students in second year will sit standardised tests in English reading and Maths, and Irish reading in Irish-medium schools. From 2016 standardised testing in Science will also be included.

The new focus on assessment will require significant Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for teachers and principals. These programmes of support will begin in 2013.

See full statement on http://www.merrionstreet.ie/index.php/2012/10/major-reform-of-junior-certificate-quinn/?cat=3

Submit a comment

Please respect the terms of use of our discussion boards. Full terms here .
Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments. When you submit your comment, you'll be sent a link to confirm it.
Name Email





;