'Anxiety will skyrocket for students': Major setback for Leaving Cert plans as union quits talks

The Irish Second-Level Students’ Union said it was 'shocked and disappointed' by the news, which it said would only serve to cause 'stress, anxiety, and worry' to skyrocket among students. Sam Boal/RollingNews.ie

Plans for this year’s Leaving Cert have hit a major setback after the country’s largest second-level teachers’ union unexpectedly withdrew from planning talks with the Department of Education.

Yesterday began with Taoiseach Micheál Martin telling students that they would have “clarity” from the Government next week on the arrangements for this year’s state exams.

Last night the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) announced it has withdrawn from discussions with the Department of Education and the minister, Norma Foley, as it believes the plan currently in development is “unacceptable”.

However, the ASTI has accepted an invitation to meet with the department for talks to discuss the union's decision to withdraw from the process.

Department 'taken aback and disappointed'

In a statement, the department said it was both “taken aback and disappointed” at the union’s decision.

“At no stage of discussions [yesterday] did the ASTI indicate its intention to take this action.”

The ASTI has accepted an invitation to meet with the department today.

Last week, Norma Foley announced that planning for the Leaving Cert exams would now include the provision of both written exams and a "corresponding measure".

Teachers' unions in talks

Both the ASTI and the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) have been engaging in confidential, bilateral talks with the department since around the development of this measure.

However, the ASTI believes that the plan currently in development effectively sees students preparing for two versions of a Leaving Cert, with ‘calculated grades’ being the dominant option, and exams “filling in” assessment gaps.

That’s according to Kieran Christie, ASTI general secretary.

The union entered into the process in “good faith”, he said, to explore the position where if the Leaving Cert, or elements of it, do not go ahead, a fair and credible choice or option would be available to students.

It is clear to us that the approach being developed would not provide the meaningful Leaving Certificate experience this cohort of students deserve.”

The process currently in development would see the Leaving Cert relegated to a secondary position with calculated grades as the “premier” option, he added.

Appeal for a 'meaningful' Leaving Cert

“It is extraordinary that the only option being explored is that they [students] would effectively prepare for two versions of a Leaving Certificate rather than one.”

We are calling for the minister to re-establish the focus of the talks so that a meaningful Leaving Certificate experience is provided to this cohort of students, which they rightly deserve.”

TUI President Martin Marjoram said his union remains committed to the process.

“We are eager for a quick conclusion," he told RTÉ radio.

ASTI president Anne Piggott said that her union was committed to finding a solution as quickly as possible to find an exam that would have standards.

Ms Piggott said she had serious reservations about calculated grades given the lack of data since there were no ‘mocks’ and no fifth year exams.

The ASTI is going to meet the Minister to discuss the issue but would not be returning to the talks, she said. “We want students to have certainty.”

The Irish Second-Level Students’ Union (ISSU) described itself as “shocked and disappointed” by the news, which it said would only serve to cause “stress, anxiety and worry to skyrocket amongst students”.

Reopening schools is Nphet's priority

Speaking at last night’s Nphet briefing deputy chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn insisted that the reopening of schools remains the priority and is “the first thing we all need to concentrate on”.

Meanwhile, with Taoiseach Micheál Martin due to attend the mass vaccination centre at Cork City Hall today, it has emerged that it will be mid-May before over-70s will be fully vaccinated. 

Admitting that the timeline for vaccinations has been delayed by the decision not to give the AstraZeneca vaccine to older people, health minister Stephen Donnelly said it is “dependent upon supplies arriving in”.

Donnelly hopes to finish inoculation by May

Speaking in the Dáil yesterday afternoon, Mr Donnelly said: “If we get the supplies that are forecast, and as we all now know these things go up and down, it would be around mid-May when the second dose has been completed,” he said.

Mr Donnelly had previously said in January that most over-70s would have their second dose by March 31. He could not say yesterday how many people would now have had their second dose by that date.

"I don't have the exact figure," he said.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, Labour leader Alan Kelly said Mr Donnelly’s vaccine projection “simply doesn’t add up, especially if you look back at what he said in January.”