The ASTI is aware that there is a considerable amount of incorrect information circulating regarding the announcement by the Minister for Education and Skills regarding the postponement of the Leaving Certificate examinations.
As stated on 10th April, the ASTI welcomes in principle the announcement that the Leaving Cert exams will go ahead this year.
ASTI Standing Committee met remotely on 10th April and made an initial assessment of the Minister’s announcement. It is intended that members will be consulted in the coming days through the ASTI’s representative structure.
The ASTI has a number of serious concerns about elements of the announcement and will be seeking clarifications in relation to these.
For the record, contrary to misinformation that is circulating, no teacher will be required to do anything. The proposal from the Department of Education and Skills cannot be enforced.
The outline of the proposal is as follows:
The Leaving Cert examinations will not be held in June and have been postponed to late July and into August 2020.
For two weeks before exams it is hoped by the DES that face-to-face contact will be arranged in schools with Leaving Certificate Students.
Schools would work it out in the context of their perception of how the time would be best allocated – perhaps Blocks etc.
The DES also hopes that teachers would maintain contact with their Leaving Certificate students in the period prior to the two weeks referred above. This is because the DES are worried about maintenance of motivation and engagement of students.
A timetable for examinations will emerge in June and will be predicated on the medical advice at the time. The main question to be determined will be whether or not it will be necessary to run one examination per day only.
The Department of Education and Skills have given a commitment to engage with the ASTI/TUI on a viable plan for putting arrangements in place. It is only if ASTI commits to engagement in such a process that answers will emerge to many of the questions that arise.
Junior Certificate:
The Junior Certificate will not take place this year.
The intention is that the papers will be distributed to schools in the Autumn and schools would be asked to schedule them internally. There will be no Junior Certificate issued. The situation with regard to the Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement has not been clarified. It is not clear how the proposed school-based examinations would run, who would invigilate them or how they would be corrected.
The Department of Education Press Statement states as follows:
- Junior Cycle examinations in June replaced with school-based exams and assessments early in the new school year
- Junior Cycle final examinations due to take place in June will be replaced by school-based exams and assessments held early in the new school year.
- As part of the changes to the Junior Cycle, discussions will take place with teacher unions and school management to allow these examinations, linked Classroom-Based Assessments, Assessment Tasks and project work to be completed as school-based assessments early in the next school year.
ASTI Standing Committee representatives have undertaken to contact members in their regions this weekend and ask for feedback.
Further updates will be posted on this website when available.
