Jennifer Horgan: Teachers' unions have got their way on Leaving Cert changes

Make no mistake, this decision to back away from teacher assessment is all about the souring relationship between teacher unions and the Department of Education, writes Jennifer Horgan

Having worked in the English system, I know how well teacher assessment can work. Teachers become absolute experts in the marking of their subjects. File picture: iStock

Teacher unions, backed by the loudest voices in the teaching profession, have finally got their way today. As per Minister Norma Foley’s U-turn announcement, teachers will not assess their own students as part of Leaving Certificate reforms.

Instead, some form of project work will be assessed by the State Examinations Commission (SEC) in only a very limited number of subjects, starting from September 2025, two years earlier than scheduled.