In Ireland, teacher trade unionists went out on strike on two separate days in support of their belief that every student is entitled to a fair, impartial, and transparent Junior Cycle State externally-assessed examination.
Members of the Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland (ASTI) and the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI), both affiliated to Education International (EI), believe that the student-teacher relationship will be impacted negatively if teachers become the judges of their own Junior Cycle students.
The Junior Certificate examination is held at the end of the Junior Cycle in post-primary schools. The Junior Cycle caters for students aged 13-15 years old. Students normally sit for the Junior Certificate exams after three years of post-primary education.
Grading
The current exams system includes a rigorous model of external assessment which ensures consistency across the country. Every pupil’s State exam is graded using the same criteria. Every year, before students’ exams are corrected, examiners are appointed and trained by the State Exams Commission. There are marking conferences and marking schemes are established which are overseen by experienced chief examiners. This means students can rest assured that they will be treated in the same way as their peers in every county in Ireland. Any student who feels unfairly marked can appeal the grade. This guarantees transparency for students, parents, and teachers.
According to the unions, the Minister for Education and Skills’ proposals do not allow for national grading/ marking standards to be maintained. Without these standards, no one can know for sure if what is considered to be an A, B, or C grade is considered to be the same grade in another school.
Talks opened after two days of action
That is why 27,000 second-level teachers, members of ASTI andTUI, took a day of strike action on 22 January over the Department of Education and Skills’ implementation of the Framework for Junior Cycle. While they support many aspects of the reforms proposed in the Education Department’s 2012 Framework for Junior Cycle, they do not support the proposal that they assess their own students for State exam certification.
ASTI and TUI support:
- A first-class Junior Cycle education for all students
- A move away from an excessive reliance on final written exams
- Different types of assessment at Junior Cycle – more practical, project and portfolio assessments
- A State Certificate awarded after independent objective assessment by the State Examinations Commission
Thisday of strike was the second in a series of strike days in this school year. The first strike day took place on 2 December 2014. The unions have warned that a third day of strike will go ahead if there is no breakthrough. However, they will engage in talks with the Department of Education and Skills this week in a bid to resolve the dispute.