Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 November 2023
254. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Education if provision will be made for an oral examination to be introduced as part of the Leaving Certificate qualification in Arabic at both ordinary and higher level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50969/23]
View answerIn March 2022, I announced ambitious plans for a reimagined Senior Cycle of education for post-primary students – Equity and Excellence for All: where the student is at the centre of their Senior Cycle experience.
The redeveloped Senior Cycle will enable students to follow a broad curriculum, develop their interests and skills and participate in a final assessment process consistent with international best practice, which will support them in their next phase of life whether that is third level, further education and training, apprenticeships, or the world of work.
In September 2023, I announced a significant acceleration of the Senior Cycle redevelopment programme enabling over 120,000 additional Leaving Certificate students to experience the benefits of Senior Cycle Redevelopment sooner than otherwise would have been the case.
Thanks to this acceleration, in September 2025, students will now be able to benefit from the fast-tracked national rollout of new subject curricula in Tranche One, which includes Arabic. These revised subjects will incorporate additional assessment components outside of traditional written exams, to be worth at least 40% of the available marks, and externally assessed by the State Examinations Commission.
The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA)’s Arabic development group is one of many subject development groups in place that are progressing the new specifications for these subjects. I expect that the draft specification for Arabic will be published for consultation shortly.
I am committed to the introduction of comprehensive revised assessment methods and approaches in Senior Cycle Redevelopment.
