School bodies back longer time frame for junior cycle reform

All three groups representing second-level schools say they support delays to some assessment by teachers of their junior cycle students — to help resolve an ongoing dispute.

Although one is more cautious, the three management bodies say Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan may have to hold off for a period on requiring teachers to mark their written exams for the Junior Cycle Student Award (JCSA).

The positions of the Association of Community and Comprehensive Schools (ACCS), and the Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI) — whose member-ETBs run 250 vocational-sector schools — emerged after a group representing almost half of all second-level schools called for the compromise.The Joint Managerial Body (JMB) suggested Ms O’Sullivan allow final written exams for the JCSA continue to be marked by the State Examinations Commission (SEC) for five years, while coursework in second-year and third-year would be assessed by students’ teachers.