Skip to main content
Normal View

Education Committee to discuss Leaving Certificate reform with Department of Education Officials and students

6 Dec 2021, 15:21

The Joint Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science will resume its examination of Leaving Certificate Reform with a roundtable discussion on reform at its meeting on Tuesday, December 07.

The meeting will be broadcast from Committee Room 2 at 11 am and will be split into two sessions.

Representatives from the following organisations will be in attendance:

Session One - Officials from the Department of Education

·        Dalton Tattan, Assistant Secretary

·        Anne Tansey, National Director of the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS)

·        Orlaith O’Connor, Assistant Chief Inspector of Schools in the Department’s Inspectorate

·        Eamonn Moran, Principal Officer Curriculum and Assessment Policy

·        Evelyn O’Connor, Principal Officer Curriculum and Assessment Policy

·        Neville Kenny, Principal Officer Curriculum and Assessment Policy

 

Session Two

·        Ryan Sharpe 6th year student at Cork Life Centre

·        Amber Sheridan O' Callaghan Past Pupil, Cork Life Centre

·        Hugh Ahern, Student, Patrician Academy, Mallow, County Cork

 

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Committee Cathaoirleach Paul Kehoe TD said: “The Committee will be briefed by Officials from the Department of Education and will hear from students on reform of the Leaving Certificate."

“The pandemic has seen a focus on continuous and blended assessment rather than the final exam. We look forward to discussing how we can take the lessons learned from the changes that have been implemented in the past two years and how they can be incorporated into Senior Cycle."

“Public trust in the exam remains high and teachers have been trusted to assess their own students. Many aspects of the Leaving Certificate work well but stakeholders have highlighted the stress and anxiety cause by the final exam and its disproportionate impact on vulnerable cohorts and those without strong family and school supports.”

“Young people who have addressed the Committee have called for a move away from one terminal examination. There is also an increasing call to focus on students who want to pursue other career paths such as apprenticeships, further education or enter the workplace.”

“Serving the interests of students from all backgrounds and providing clear pathways must be a vital part of Senior Cycle reform

The Joint Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science has 14 Members, nine from the Dáil and five from the Seanad.

You can view the meeting in Committee Room 2 on the Oireachtas website.

 

 

 

Media enquiries

Áine McMahon
Houses of the Oireachtas
Communications Unit
Leinster House
Dublin 2

+353 (0) 1 618 3437
+353 (0) 85 800 7312

aine.mcmahon@oireachtas.ie
pressoffice@oireachtas.ie
Twitter: @OireachtasNews

Top
Share