TUI: Leaving Cert reform to tackle CAO points race would be 'misdiagnosing real problem'

Clare Austick, president of the Union of Students in Ireland (USI), said: "The trajectory of a student’s educational experience should not be decided during one exam on a single day.” File photo

Changing the Leaving Cert assessment model to tackle the CAO points race would be a change based on a “misdiagnosis of the real problem”, an Oireachtas committee has heard.

Teachers’ and students’ unions met for a roundtable discussion with politicians on Leaving Cert reform. At the meeting of the education committee, Michael Gillespie from the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI), said the “excessive focus” on CAO points is not a product of the Leaving Certificate itself.

“The CAO runs a separate process that allots places in higher education and that is superimposed on the Leaving Certificate,” he said.

“The CAO ‘points race’ is a reflection of a media obsession with progression to third level and with ‘high points’ courses. 

The points race leads to invalid and unfair comparisons.

“Changing Leaving Certificate assessment modes to tackle the CAO ‘points race’ would be to base change on a misdiagnosis of the real problem.” 

The union said its members are “fundamentally opposed” to assessing their own students’ work, adding that an external examiner from the SEC must be retained. On the concept of continuous assessment, the teachers’ union said it would be “counterproductive” and would increase stress for students.

“Furthermore, it would fundamentally and negatively change the pupil-teacher relationship, possibly removing the emphasis on the supportive aspect of the relationship,” Mr Gillespie added.

The Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland (ASTI) said investment in education is the “most important factor” that impacts on curriculum.

“Teachers know that transformative curriculum change takes place in the classroom and that, ultimately, the teacher is the facilitator of this change,” the ASTI said.

“Teachers need to be convinced of the rationale for change; feel that their views and experiences are listened to; trust that adequate resources will be provided to support change; and – most importantly – that change will deliver better learning outcomes for students.” 

Clare Austick, president of the Union of Students in Ireland (USI), said the current assessment criteria is “very restrictive”.

“The Leaving Cert is often based on a single written exam which essentially tests the student’s memory and ability to retain information on one particular day, resulting in enormous pressure and stress placed on a student to perform,” she said.

“We all have good and bad days, yet the Leaving Cert, which is such a significant milestone in a person’s life, doesn’t take this into consideration. The trajectory of a student’s educational experience should not be decided during one exam on a single day.” 

Emer Neville from the Irish Second Level Students’ Union (ISSU) said a recent survey conducted by the union found that 51.6% of leaving cycle students felt their results did not accurately reflect their work in 5th and 6th years. She added that the country “can no longer continue to put plasters on a completely broken system”.

All of the representatives agreed there should be additional focus placed on alternative routes to further education, including post-leaving cert courses and apprenticeships.