Non-written exams costing students valuable study time

A PARENTS’ group wants oral and practical exams for the Junior and Leaving Certificate to be held during school holidays to prevent disruption of tuition time to thousands of students.

More than 1,600 teachers are missing from schools for up to two weeks each year to take oral language exams, according to the State Examinations Commission (SEC). Its 2004 annual report published yesterday also revealed that a further 1,030 teachers examined practical and project work.

As well as taking the oral exams, teachers also oversee practical examinations in subjects including music and home economics, between February and May.

The National Congress of Catholic Secondary School Parent Associations (CSPA) said on average students only receive 152 days of tuition a year, instead of the required 167 days, because of teachers on exams duty, for in-service training or for staff meetings.

“Exam students should do their orals and practical exams for a week at Easter or just before the written exams in June instead. It’s not acceptable for a principal to release a teacher unless they have a fully qualified substitute,” said CSPA spokesperson Barbara Johnston.

“The parent of a Junior Certificate student told me that her daughter’s English teacher has been on leave all year. She was replaced by a French teacher, who then missed a week to take orals,” Ms Johnston said.

The SEC acknowledged the difficulties faced in arranging substitute teachers.

“The commission makes every effort to facilitate the request of schools to appoint their teachers for the weeks most suitable to the school in terms of minimising disruption to tuition time,” the report said.

The SEC is reviewing the current arrangements to try and develop a new structure to address the problems.

George O’Callaghan, general secretary of the Joint Managerial Body which represents secondary school boards, said the possibility of holding the exams outside school time would be a reasonable solution.

“Principals are often reluctant to release teachers, but a balance has to be found because teachers are the only people competent to do the work.”

The SEC annual report shows that less than 3%, of the 380,000 Leaving Certificate grades last year were appealed and 2,064 of those were upgraded as a result. One-in-three of 1,882 Junior Certificate appealed grades were marked up.