State Examinations Reviews

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 31 May 2016

Tuesday, 31 May 2016

Questions (306)

Thomas Byrne

Question:

306. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 333 of 17 May 2016 if he will provide figures on the number of schools that are not currently in a position to implement the new junior cycle English classroom assessment for second year English due to the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland ban on teacher participation; to provide figures on the number of students in second year during 2015-16 who will not be able to participate in the junior cycle English classroom-based assessment if the ban continues; and the number of teachers who have registered but who have attended less than 50% of the continuing professional development training courses or otherwise have not participated in CPD training. [13121/16]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

My Department does not keep information relating to union membership of teachers and therefore I am not in a position to furnish the Deputy with the information sought.

Currently students in second year who may not have completed their first classroom-based assessment will, as agreed with both of the teacher unions in 2015, have the opportunity to complete this early in the autumn term of the 2016/2017 school year.

My Department remains willing to provide the ASTI with any further clarifications to the agreement their leaders signed last May so as to ensure that all students can complete all aspects of the new Junior Cycle programme. I wrote to the ASTI on 26 May indicating that arrangements for a meeting will be progressed. I look forward to engaging positively with them.

Details of teachers registered for Continuing Professional Development are set out as follows.

2015/16 school year: subject teachers registered/attended JC CPD (as of 27-5-16)

Subject	No. teachers registered for CPD	No. teacher invited to CPD (ETB & C+C schs)	No. teachers attended CPD
Business	1496	945	625
English	5618	1734	1286
Science	3415	1209	945
Art, Craft & Design	323	0	0
Gaeilge	992	0	0
Modern Languages
French	664	0	0
German	237	0	0
Italian	15	0	0
Spanish	143	0	0