Unions concerned about Leaving Cert calculated grades plans

ASTI General Secretary Kieran Christie, has said that while the ASTI is pleased that the Leaving Cert has been “preserved”, there were some logistics to the process that could not be “fed into a computer." File Picture: Mark Stedman/RollingNews.ie

The Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) and the Teacher's Union of Ireland (TUI) have said they are concerned about the calculated grades process for this year's Leaving Certificate

ASTI General Secretary Kieran Christie, has said that while the ASTI is pleased that the Leaving Cert has been “preserved”, there were some logistics to the process that could not be “fed into a computer."

Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast, Mr Christie said that some students had been determined to do “a proper” Leaving Cert and they would now have that option.

Mr Christie also said he was glad that the ranking system from last year’s calculated grade process was gone. 

“Thankfully teachers don’t have to do that,” he said. 

When asked about the reopening of schools, Mr Christie said the ASTI wanted schools to reopen as soon as possible, as safely as possible, but putting a date on the reopening was “unwise”.

Dates for reopening would have to come from other sources such as public health experts, he said, but the numbers and the indications were positive.

ASTI President Ann Piggot. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

“The Minister has given dates in the past and has had to row back. I’m not going to fall into the same trap.”

ASTI President Ann Piggot meanwhile said that her union, which represents 18,500 teachers, would issue an official response to the new Leaving Cert plans in the coming days. 

Speaking on Morning Ireland, Ms Piggot said the ASTI "did not want to put any more stress on students."

She said there had always been reservations about a calculated grades system, so the union was glad that an alternative option of a traditional Leaving Cert was being offered.

Ms Piggott said that her union favoured orals and project work being assessed externally to “ground” the results and to give “credibility or raise it up in a way.” 

However, she said the union was concerned that students would not be motivated in the coming months if they opted for calculated grades, she said, and there was the challenge for teachers of having two cohorts in the classroom – one group studying for the traditional Leaving Cert while the other group had opted for calculated grades.

TUI: Calculated grades should have been contingency, not option

TUI president Martin Marjoram has said that calculated grades should have been a contingency plan not an option for this year’s Leaving Cert.

While the union was pleased that students now had clarity on this year’s Leaving Cert, his members were deeply concerned that some students would cease to engage with the process, he told RTÉ’s Today show.

The union had consulted with its executive on Wednesday night and would be discussing the proposals with branches in the coming days.

TUI president, Martin Marjoram also expressed concerns about how calculated grads would be utilised this year. 

Mr Marjoram said that his opinion was that assessments would cause as many difficulties as solutions and there would be “huge” difficulties with the process. 

There was “significant” unrest among his members, he said.

The union was not saying it would "not be cooperating with the new proposals," he added. 

They were going to present the full details of the “very complex” proposals to their members.

Mr Marjoram said TUI wanted to get as many students as possible to sit a Leaving Cert exam as this was the best approach to demonstrate learning and would keep students engaged and focused on their education.

The aim should be to find a system that was robust, there should be no difference between one result and another or the route that was taken to achieve that result.

School principal Colm O’Rourke meanwhile said that involving students in the process was like players being allowed to pick the team in football and serious issues were going to arise from this proposal.

Mr O’Rourke warned that there would be grade inflation again this year. 

“This a la carte Leaving Cert won’t work,” he said.

The chair of the CAO, Pól O Dochartaigh also warned that there will not be additional university places. Universities would adjust their entry points on the basis of the number of places available, he said.

“There is no space to pile in extra numbers.” 

If grades were inflated then the points would be inflated, he said. 

“This does youngsters no favours," he added.