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THERE WERE ALREADY major traffic problems in Dublin this evening before tonight’s incident on the Green Line.
Road closures had been in place around Merrion Square since early this morning due to the water protests — and earlier this evening, the quays area was entirely shut down as groups of breakaway demonstrators moved to O’Connell Bridge, and blocked traffic there.
Adding to all that, there were also major restrictions on the Luas Red Line to Tallaght, before this happened, shortly before 6pm…
From the Luas website:
A motorist has accidentally driven onto the track at Charlemont.
It took a while — but eventually service was fully restored…
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If everything else is getting back to normal then there’s no reason not to have the exams as normal. If you need to adjust the exams to reflect less of the curriculum covered then so be it but they should be in person. Especially when they’re in June.
@John Black: everything isn’t back to normal.
Not a question of “if” the exams need to be adjusted. They unquestionably do and now. They won’t be cos we’ve an inept Minister reflective of her sclerotic Department.
We haven’t a notion what things are going to be like in June so options need to be planned for now. Well ages ago but even now will be too much for Foley.
@Graham Manning: the exams need reform in general but that’s something that needs to be done over years, not a few months before the exams.
In terms of this year’s leaving cert, barring another variant that once again ramps up cases there is no reason for it not to have written exams in person.
@John Black: there is huge absenteeism between teachers and students. Due to close contact rules. Normal exams are untenable as long as this continues
@Dearbhla O Reilly: so adjust the exams to represent the shorter curriculum as I said.
@John Black: if things are much better in June than they are now? Agreed. But how do we know that? We don’t and students need certainty now. I’d be in favour of a similar system to last year tbh. Least worst option.
In terms of the exams themselves a far greater degree of choice is necessary for all subjects. Again, certainty in this is needed now but predictably Tis not forthcoming.
@Dearbhla O Reilly: not absenteeism.
@Graham Manning: The exams could have run last June. Last years leaving cert was a bit of a joke with the points given out.
Get back to in-person on-site exams where everyone is treated the same.
@Graham Manning: true. But ya know what I meant.
Also this is the second year for these students of this upheaval. They have missed so much
The problem with the commentary on this is that it’s assumed everything is OK because the schools are open. Its not. Teachers and students are out due to Covid and classes are being missed. There is a suggestion that the papers will be adjusted to reflect the difficulties over the past 2 years but in the case on HL maths for example the whole course needs to be covered due to lack of choice. There seems to be a determination to return to ‘normal’ but the past 2 years have not been normal.
@Brian O’Donovan: agree further adjustments to the papers – like they got in 2021 and everyone should be mandated to sit at least 4 exams if not all, and prediction model should be standardised based on the 2022 exam information
And who exactly is “the second level students union” ??
@Koukliahills: Do you want to have a wild guess there?
The Leaving Cert is outdated and has been for years
@The Red Devil: Why? Project work in Ag Sci. orals/aurals in languages, research essays on History, field projects in Geography, etc. Or is it the subjects themselves and their syllabi which are outdated?
@sean o’dhubhghaill: the idea of a terminal exam is outdated. Being able to work with information is a skill, being able to remember it isn’t.
@Mogh Roith: Especially when a large part of the curriculum is irrelevant to a lot of students. I have yet to use Pythagoras Theorem in every day life or in the course of my career.
@Mogh Roith: surely being able to remember information is one of the most important skills we can learn . Wouldn’t like to be cared for by a doctor who was simply being creative and hopeful rather than using generations of remembered data and procedures . It’s not a glamorous skill but it is fundamentally central to all we do
@Conor Flood: and now Conor, you have hit the nail on the head and bamboozled all the journal/Facebook generation of anti-traditional methodologies. “It’s outdated” “just a memory test” they cry etc. etc. They sound like tabloids, all repeating the same urban myth. When in fact it is partially and crucially a memory test. No student of mine ever got a H1 or H2 etc. with just memorising in either of the subjects. In fact a H4 would be a miracle relying JUST on fantastic memory
@Claire Greaney: used it a couple of times myself lately actually, making a playhouse for the smallies! Very very handy.
@Claire Greaney: Try saying that to an engineer or architect.
@Mogh Roith: I want my surgeon to remember how to replace a heart valve, not just look it up.
@Claire Greaney: So is your solution that we stop teaching maths once 12x tables have been covered? Maths is maths, and is necessary in so many walks of life.
The exams should not go ahead as normal.
I totally agree with the students union, they are the only talking sense.
This year’s leaving cert students are the worst affected in this leaving cert cycle.
They have missed out on the TY year but more importantly they have missed out on the most important year of leaving cert which is fifth year.
6th year is basically revision work .
Most leaving cert students have being told they won’t finish courses for their exams.
At least last year’s leaving certs had their 5th year and most work done ,so this year’s leaving certs should be afforded the same choice as last year’s leaving certs.
It only fair and proper.
@trevormurphy: exactly. Well said.
@trevormurphy: exams should be modified to allow for extra choice and shorter papers like in 2021- this should address this
Unions, hopeless on issues they should be raising and kick up a fuss about things they shouldn’t be. Waste of money.
@LaoisWeather: without unions you would have no employment rights.
@Dearbhla O Reilly: thanks for validating part of my point.
@LaoisWeather: ya welcome. *curtsys*
Do estimated results for those who want then and set an exam date for those who want one like has been done in the pandemic times why would we even contemplate changing this why they debate with these covid numbers
@Richarddoherty: because in the absence of such a debate how can we determine, in the round, the best solution that will give a fair assessment? God forbid we would assume to assess in the absence of a suitable baseline, as many of these students would not have done the Junior Cert, as we may end up allocating incorrect or unfair grades. We could end up with journal commentators who don’t appear to understand basic grammar or punctuation.
@Richarddoherty: Because all you are doing is transferring the problems to third level.
If classes can run, so can exams.
Disagree, exams have been more than fairly adjusted, at least in my subjects to reflect last few years, schools haven’t closed this school year, so no reason why they shouldn’t. Keep the system that was introduced last year if they want to so students can decide what they want to sit themselves, or take predicted grade. I like that system, gives students a reward if they have worked well and consistently over the two years, if not, they can redeem themselves in exam.
The consequences of this whole debacle will come home to roost when in years to come our future leaders will be even more inept than our current ones!! Students have been deprived of a normal school opportunity. Wellbeing is at an all time low with the constant worry of exams, points and college places. Students have lost the crucial developmental time needed to mature and feel safe in these challenging times. Listen to the students voice, they are the ones living through this nightmare!!
A “Normal” Leaving Certificate can only be returned after students have had a normal 5th and 6th year in school. Not only is this years LC students impacted but also next years LC students.
At the very least they need to offer the same exam structure as last year, with more choice (which is still there) and the reduced number of questions that are required to be completed needs to be reintroduced.
Scrap state exams and do continuous assessment instead. Teach young students things that are needed in life. Shakespeare as an example is a waste of everyone’s time and should only be taught to those that want it.
UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, which made “a very strong recommendation” to reform the Leaving Cert in 2016 as it was considered that the Leaving Certificate process placed a disproportionate level of mental stress on the young people.
A review of the senior cycle by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) was undertaken based on that recommendation, but six years later has not been made public.
What does it take for reform of the Irish Education system?
@Jules: @Teresa Ryan: True but your point is not relevant for 2022 as current students did not have official continuous assessment…. the experts should do this – and implement informed changes.
The problem with the Accredited grades(combination of Teacher assessment and SEC standardisation model) produced results that were 69%Incorrect. 52% got higher than exam results and 17% got lower. While to cater for all those who were particularly disadvantaged one could expect about 10% would get higher but 52% is too much – so up to 49% if results were effectively discriminated against.
This year all students should be asked to sit at least 4 grades, then use this to standardise the model for prediction –
If we use the same prediction model as last year it would make a total joke.
@Teresa Ryan: True but your point is not relevant for 2022 as current students did not have official continuous assessment…. the experts should do this – and implement informed changes.
have your say