All teachers should mark exam papers

Because of a shortage of applications — as in, many full-time teachers are not interested in doing the work — the Examinations Commission has to employ people who do not have teaching qualifications to mark Junior and Leaving Cert exam papers.

In an environment where exams have been, no matter how loudly educationalists squeal, dumbed down, this is another regressive step. It will further undermine the integrity of our exams system. It is also unacceptable.

Positions to mark Junior Cert religious education exams remain open and vacancies in Junior Cert geography and French are filled “as they arise”.

Government and teacher unions regularly interact; that is one of the reasons public-sector pay is increasing at a far, far faster rate than private-sector pay.

The next time these parties meet over pay rates or conditions, the Government — the taxpayers’ agent — should propose that all teachers must mark exam papers every few years, maybe once every four or five years, as part of their job and do so without any extra pay. After all, if a farmer grows a crop, he must harvest it.

That teacher unions could dismiss a proposal like this out of hand shows how powerful they are and how out of kilter their relationship with this State actually is.

They are just one of many special interest groups that need to make concessions so we can confront many of the far more pressing issues facing us all — and blocking greater social equity.