Some 68,000 students who sat the Junior Cycle will finally get to see their results on November 23rd, more than five months after the exams took place. The delay is an understandable source of frustration for many school leaders and students who say it risks devaluing the exam process. Junior Cycle results are crucial for students who skip transition year and have to make early decisions on subject choices for the senior cycle. The delay is also problematic for students who wish to pursue apprenticeships or traineeships which require a formal qualification. Later than anticipated Leaving Cert results this year also resulted in students starting college several weeks late.
A key factor behind the delays is a shortage of examiners. The State Examinations Commission (SEC) has been struggling for several years to attract teachers in sufficient numbers. But the length of this year’s delay and the fact that authorities were forced to hire trainee teachers as examiners is an indication of just how serious the problem have become.
Clearly, the system for marking the State exams is not sustainable. Minister for Education Norma Foley has pledged to examine measures to help boost examiner numbers and provide greater certainty over the release of results in advance of next year’s exams. Remuneration levels for marking the State exams, which were increased recently, will be examined too.
Teachers’ unions also have an important role to play. Under senior cycle reforms, there would be less emphasis on exams which need to be graded over the summer. These changes envisage more assessment – about 40 per cent – being done by teachers. This could relieve pressure on the system. Yet, the unions insist they are resolutely opposed to members assessing their students for State exams. Either way, change is needed. For tens of thousands of young people, these results are a high point of their second level education and the culmination of years of hard work. The students have done their job. It is time for education authorities to do theirs.