Junior Cert plan ‘needs time and staffing’

School managers have told Education Minister Ruairí Quinn his plan to replace the Junior Certificate will fail if he does not give schools the time and staffing supports to implement it.

Mr Quinn was attending the annual conference of the Joint Managerial Body, which represents 380 religious-owned secondary schools. Along with other management groups, it has made proposals on how teachers’ opposition to marking their own students for the minister’s proposed Junior Cycle Student Award might be eased, through external moderation to ensure equal standards between schools.

However, JMB president Fr Paul Connell said it would be tragic if the unacceptable behaviour of some delegates who shouted over Mr Quinn’s speech to the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland conference last week masked the real concerns of educators about the new junior cycle plan, mainly about resourcing and assessment.

The Teachers’ Union of Ireland and ASTI began industrial action a month ago involving withdrawal from training and planning for the JCSA, the introduction of which will start with a new English curriculum for first-year students in September. Fr Connell said teachers are unwilling to grade their own pupils and parents have yet to be convinced.

Mr Quinn said constructive dialogue is the key to successful implementation of the JCSA and management organisations’ proposals on external supports for assessment are being considered by his department. He said his decision in January to slow the phasing-in of the reforms came on foot of JMB concerns.

Mr Quinn welcomed a joint plan from JMB and the Association of Community and Comprehensive Schools to radically restructure middle management, saying that it could be implemented when resources allow. However, he also put forward for discussion an idea that schools might employ staff dedicated to dealing with administration in support of principals, rather than pay allowances to teachers who take on extra responsibility.