Minister says she will listen to all voices as ASTI unanimously rejects moving exam papers

Education Minister Norma Foley: 'Introducing significant change at senior cycle needs to be thought through carefully.'  File picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Teachers remain “vehemently opposed” to a proposal to hold English and Irish Leaving Certificate Paper 1 at the end of fifth year.

A motion on senior cycle reform at the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland (ASTI) annual convention in Wexford opposing the proposal passed unanimously.

Some 500 second-level teachers gathered to discuss the future of education and teaching in Ireland, including concerns around the senior cycle, a lack of investment in schools, and teacher shortages.

President Miriam Duggan receives a standing ovation from Convention as she finishes her address 👏👏

Her speech will be available to read on the Latest News section of our website shortly: https://t.co/VmGcsDB13S #ASTI23 pic.twitter.com/mhRyXCZ25t

— ASTI (@astiunion) April 11, 2023

Enda Tourish, an ASTI member from Monaghan, said moving the papers to fifth year was “the most ridiculous idea” he had heard in 35 years in education.

Education Minister Norma Foley said she would continue to collaborate with the sector before implementing change and that “all voices will be heard”.

“Introducing significant change at senior cycle needs to be thought through carefully,” Ms Foley said.

“I consider it essential to ensure that the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, State Examinations Commission, the Department and schools can work through the changes with all stakeholders over a sustained period of time.

“Change is never comfortable, but there is a recognition, across the unions, that there is a need for our students to be able to meet the challenges of the 21st century, that there is a need for review and reform at Senior Cycle and that can take many different shapes.”

However, ASTI president Miriam Duggan said while education was a “social good” and a hugely important mainstay in Irish society, lack of investment was a concern.

Ireland ranked “yet again” 36th out of the 36 countries surveyed in terms of investment in second-level education as a percentage of GDP in the most recent Education at a Glance report, published in October 2022. Ms Duggan said: 

Whereas the EU/OECD average spend was 1.9% of GDP, Ireland’s was a mere 1%, in monetary terms, a difference of over $1,000 per student. 

“We hear the same figures year after year. When will you bring it to an end, minister or must we always be last in the class when it comes to investing in second level education?

“A large number of our school buildings are in a poor state of repair and I’ll spare us all from detailed memories of how the covid pandemic highlighted the number of poor ventilation systems.

“Class size is another casualty of the failure to invest properly in education.

“The average class size at junior cycle level around the EU is 21. In Ireland, it can be up to 30 for general subjects.”