Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
EDUCATION MINISTER NORMA Foley has defended plans to hold two senior cycle exams a year earlier than usual, after internal documents showed concern among the State Examinations Commission with the revised timeline.
Paper 1 of both the English and Irish written exams are to be held at the end of fifth year, while the remaining Leaving Certificate exams are to be held at the end of sixth year as usual.
The changes are to come into effect from September next year.
Irish language group Conradh na Gaeilge criticised the plans and called on them to be reversed, arguing that “it is not clear that there is any educational basis for the decision”.
“This proposal that some of the skills will be assessed at the end of the fifth year is at odds with best practice in relation to the integrated approach to the teaching of the various language skills,” it said today.
In Freedom of Information documents released to the group and seen by the PA news agency, Department of Education officials detailed concerns from the State Examinations Commission (SEC) about the effect the new timeline may have on the exam results.
In October, a department official circulated notes from SEC chief executive Andrea Feeney on the reform plans.
The notes stated: “SEC has previously pointed out that any change to the timing of these examinations beyond a few weeks will require a review of specification.
“These are integrated, language examinations and language competency is being assessed in both papers. Students’ ability to engage with Paper 1 improves through preparation for Paper 2.”
The SEC also warned: “In our view holding the English essay any earlier than now will significantly disadvantage boys given their level of maturity.”
It also expressed concern that holding the papers too far apart from each other may also result in “likely performance variances between males and females”.
But if the assessment is held “no earlier than February”, with a specific mention of the first Monday after the mid-term break, it said that it could be possible to “recraft both English papers, and that it “may be possible to recraft” Irish in a similar way.
Speaking on Newstalk, Minister Foley said that the plans were based on feedback from parents and students who said sitting the State examinations within several weeks was a stressful experience.
“There has been absolute acceptance for many, many years now that there is absolute requirement for reform of the senior cycle.
“And the greatest factor that is pointed in that direction, if you like, has come from parents and students themselves who have said the single greatest factor that they experience is stress and pressure coming from having to take exams all in one go, if you like, in one sitting after a two-year period. That has been a primary consideration.
“And so for that reason we are now looking at, for example, the English and Irish paper, taking those (paper ones) as a temporary measure at the end of fifth year.”
She added: “The paper obviously would reflect the fact that the paper is being taken at the end of one year rather than the end of two years.
“There will be remodeling and reshaping of Paper 1 in English and Irish so as to ensure that any of the issues that have been raised will be factored in and will be accounted for.”
She said that the remodelling would ensure that every student “irrespective of gender” would be able to maximise their potential under this model.
“The primary objective at all times is to ensure that students have the best opportunity to maximize their ability and potential, and to do it in a stress-free and anxiety-free atmosphere.”
Minister Foley announced in March a number of reforms to the senior cycle of Ireland’s State examinations, including the revision of new subjects for the Leaving Cert, and to examine whether to hold oral and practical exams at Easter.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
It never ceases to amaze me that a Church founded by the Son of God, based on Love, was represented and run by humans who showed so little love to vulnerable children and their vulnerable mothers.
@Neil Neart: true but then if there were no mother and baby homes run by the church then so many women in difficult situations and shunned by their own families would of had no where to go to at all.
@lorcmulv: tell that to the babies toss into septic tanks.
@lorcmulv: You appear to be ignoring the reasom why those girls and women were shunned.
@Felicity Hensen: it’s a chicken and egg story. Families offloaded their “odd” sons and daughters to hide the family shame. These sons and daughters became priests and nuns.
@lorcmulv: without the eviI distortion of human behaviour and the indoctrination by the Catholic Church there would be no need for such homes. Being an unmarried mother would hold no stigma. It’s only the inhumane brainwashing done by power greedy clergy that caused about 50% of all misery on this planet (if not more).
@lorcmulv: The morality of the times came from the Church. Terrified pregnant young girls, carrying tiny grandchildren, were shunned and rejected and treated as manifestations of mortal sin because the Church told society that that is what they were. A largely uneducated population, fearful of losing access to Heaven for eternal life with God believed the Church’s teachings on morality and shunned their own lovely daughters and grandchildren. Yet the Church still exists in spite of hundreds of years of shameful leadership, cover ups and abuse. Astonishing.
@lorcmulv: Starved, bullied and beaten? Many men and women couldn’t get their child back from such institutions although they had worked hard to be in a position to support them. Those places took the children on for the support money. I’m sure inspectors didn’t witness the half of the needless cruelty and hunger, and they were well paid while the children had to manage with as little as possible.
That was heartbreaking to read, especially the part about Monique’s father looking for her – evening going to her school – and being willing to look after her when she was born. It was lovely that he spoke about her openly to his own family and didn’t treat her like a shameful secret. He sounded like a wonderful man. What a tragedy they never met.
@FrustratedASDMum: Yes, wasn’t it? I’m so glad that she found her sister, and that at least went well for her. So many official obstacles and lies to get beyond. I’m so sorry for her painful losses and well done to her for persisting. I hope better disclosure is possible for others who were adopted under a different name. DNA kits are reuniting so many people in our lifetimes. Wishing her and her handsome family all the best in the future.
The State and Churches have so much answer for none are innocent. Especially the Churches in every way.
@Mick McGuinness: and society as a whole
It’s the same for donor-conceived people. So many records destroyed, so many people looking for these parts of their family, so many having doors shut in their faces. It’s awful. We have a lot in common with adoptees yet legislation is still not properly child centred nor retroactive as it has been for adoption.
A lot of girls were r.a.p.e.d by family, or people in higher power. Hitting the toxic red now. A few full stops madness.
I think nowadays it’s easier to find Family. Just do a DNA test and some relatives are bound to pop up, then you can ask them to put you in touch with others in the Family or at least let them know you’re looking for them. Ancestry have special offers on around St. Patrick’s day as well as other times and it’s not too expensive anyway.
@Margaret Doyle: Christmas sales on DNA kits at the moment!
4th paragraph: “… some 56,000 femaIes and 57,000 children …”
Seriously? FemaIes? How about calling us “women”? Because that’s what we are. ls this the new PC regime? Men are caIIed men, but women are caIled femaIes?
Apart from that, it’s mind boggIing that in this country the cathoIic church stiII is aIIowed to have anything to do with vuInerable peopIe such as chiIdren or sick or eIderly. The government needs 2 start protecting its peopIe from the greedy cIaws of that criminaI sect.
Sorry for the odd way of spelling. Toxicology filter etc.
@Babs Ruch: you can hardly call 12 and 13 year old girls “women “
The reality is that most Irish adoptees get very little information over the course of their lives and the religious orders are notoriously tight lipped. The few reunions seen in the media from time to time are often called reunion porn by activists as they don’t reflect the reality for most adoptees.
I don’t know what in that story that in anyway is critical of the religious orders, and yet the author finds it understandable that people would hate them? The adoption system was/is run by the state under formal laws which they were only abiding by and, as unmentioned here, the truth is that many of these children would have been aborted if it wasn’t for the help they got from these Orders?
Its fascinating as well the story of the father trying to hold onto the child, in Ireland as well fathers have absolutely no rights in this regard, but plenty of responsibilities!
Anyway just to reply to a commentator above, there was no corpses thrown into septic tanks, you can read about all that here if you like: http://www.indymedia.ie/article/108089 .
have your say