Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 30 April 2014
213. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Education and Skills the consideration that was given to the recommendations of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment and the opinions of the teaching unions when formulating the proposed change to school-based evaluation at junior certificate level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19606/14]
View answerThe new Junior Cycle is based on the advice provided in November 2011 by the National Council for Curriculum Assessment in their report "Towards a Framework for Junior Cycle" which, in turn, was based on a range of research findings. For example, the commissioned research reports from the ESRI's longitudinal study of the experience of students in post-primary schooling and beyond, in particular the volumes Moving Up: The experiences of First Year Students in Post-Primary School; Pathways through the Junior Cycle; Gearing Up for the Exam: The Experiences of Junior Certificate Students; No Way Back? The Dynamics of Early School Leaving; Choices and Challenges: Moving from Junior Cycle to Senior Cycle Education; Behind the Scenes? A Study of Parental Involvement in Post-Primary Education. Other reports include a commissioned research study on 'Wellbeing and Post-Primary Schooling: A review of the literature and research' by Dr. Maeve O'Brien and the Human Development Team of St. Patrick's College, Dublin; a commissioned research study on international experiences of Standardised Testing in Lower Secondary Education by the Educational Research Centre, Dublin; and a commissioned research report on Curriculum Structures and Stages in Education: Audit of Policy Across Jurisdictions by the National Foundation for Educational Research (UK). In addition, the background work carried out by the NCCA involved investigation of international developments in lower secondary education in the OECD countries and specifically in countries/jurisdictions such as Scotland, Northern Ireland, New Zealand, The Netherlands, Finland, Canada and Australia. It is true that I have gone further than the NCCA advice in relation to assessment. I made my decision having considered international best practice and in October 2012 I published "A Framework for Junior Cycle". Based on the concerns of a number of groups, including teachers and school management, I have slowed down the pace of change. The implementation of the Framework will now be phased in between September 2014 and September 2019. Additional CPD is being provided for all subject specialist teachers and also for school leaders. In addition a full day is being provided for whole school CPD on Junior Cycle reform, subject to Board of Management approval. As the Deputy is aware, my officials are currently engaged in discussions with the education stakeholders, through a National Working Group, on the resources and the detailed modalities in relation to workload and implementation issues for schools and teachers; quality assurance and teacher assessment; and for CPD to support implementation. I do not wish to pre-empt the results of these discussions. I expect to receive a report on these issues from the National Working Group in May.
