Cork principals make call to revisit Leaving Cert assessment

A SECONDARY school principal has called for a mature debate involving all stakeholders to find a solution to the current Leaving Cert impasse.

Kinsale Community School principal Fergal McCarthy was speaking to The Echo after Education Minister Norma Foley deferred an interim plan for Leaving Cert candidates to sit Paper 1 of their English and Irish exams at the end of fifth year. The measure was due to be implemented in June 2024, but it faced considerable opposition from teacher unions and student representative bodies.

Mr McCarthy said alternatives now need to be found to relieve the pressure on students.

“I admired the intent around relieving stress from students in respect of the Leaving Cert. I would now call upon the unions, the secondary school students’ union, and the Department of Education to look at alternatives in respect of how the Leaving Cert can be assessed and how it can relieve pressure,” said Mr McCarthy.

“It is important that we come together and identify methods of assessment that are more student friendly.

“I welcome that there is now a conversation in respect of trying to identify an assessment that will relieve the mammoth stress from these students. We need a mature national conversation around how we assess our students in a humane, fair, and equitable way without causing undue exhaustion.”

Douglas Community School principal Pat Barry said the news is disappointing for students.

“It would have been good for the students to complete some of their final assessments in fifth year which would take some of the pressure off when it comes to the Leaving Cert,” said Mr Barry.

“Everyone must now gather round and produce a solution that suits all the parties. The student must be kept at the centre of it all.”

Ms Foley said the decision was made after taking on board stakeholders’ views.

“The move of Paper 1 was intended as an interim measure to respond to a broad consensus for spreading the assessment load,” said Ms Foley. “My officials and I have engaged with student representatives, teachers’ unions, parents’ representatives, and subject teacher organisations to understand their concerns about this change.

“Having reflected on the views, I have decided to defer the introduction of this planned change so that those entering fifth year this coming September will sit both of the papers in each of the subjects in Irish and English in sixth year,” she added.

A spokesperson for the Teachers’ Union of Ireland and Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland said the deferral was “welcome”.