Reaction to Junior Cert reforms

It was terribly disappointing to hear the negative reaction of the teachers' unions. When the very agents of change are terrified by it, we have a serious problem. – David McWilliams, davidmcwilliams.ie

Looks like expecting teachers to move and change with the times only ever seems to bring the same response from teacher unions: "We need more pay because of the workload." Teachers' pay, terms and conditions are pretty good in Ireland, so they should just get on with any reforms and do their extra bit for the country in these tough times. – Dave Hammond, thejournal.ie

I was so excited about the Junior Cert reform at the beginning but fear it’s just been renamed to save money. – @evelynoconnor

It's about time the Junior and Leaving Cert exams were abolished and replaced with continual assessment, and I will happily correct my own students' work with integrity if it's for their benefit. – Diarmuid Mac Suibhne, thejournal.ie

We're piloting it this year. Loving it. – wingnut, boards.ie

Anything is better than stressing children in what is a generally pointless exam from a long-term career perspective. It's also good to see the curriculum becoming more career focused. – Keith-M, politics.ie

I can’t help but think that the Junior Cert reform, and the addition of short courses, is a plot to eventually displace transition year. – @humphreyjones

I would be worried about objectivity. We all knew pupils who the teachers loved or disliked and whose marks were affected by their relationship with the teacher. It will also leave teachers open to intimidation or tempted to raise everyone's marks so that they look like a great teacher. – Orla Ní Ghabhlainn, the journal.ie

It is woefully underfunded. Project Maths apparently cost about the same as they are planning to spend on reforming an entire curriculum. My subjects are now no longer compulsory. So many questions. How are the teaching council going to sort out qualification of teachers to teach these varied short courses? – delta_bravo, boards.ie

Aren't university exams marked by the people who teach the courses? Have never heard that this was unsatisfactory. Simple enough to put procedures in place to ensure fair marking. – alan, the journal.ie

The agenda against teachers is growing larger and larger. I've seen this covered on the news, and there's constant interviews with mummies at school gates, but no questions poised to teachers on their thoughts, or questions to experts on the pros and cons of the scheme. – teamshadowclan, boards.ie

I can't see this being a success. I have had some teachers who put their own reputations above their pupils' education, handing out higher grades than the kids deserve. That said, if it is done like ag science, whereby the teacher corrects all the projects and then an external examiner comes in, picks a random sample of students, realises that they have been marked fairly and trusts that all students have received the same quality of marking, this may turn out to be good. – Protestant/Catholic=Irish, politics.ie