Leaving cert reform must take a long term approach
Leaving cert reform must take a long term approach - The Labour Party
Labour’s Education spokesperson Eoghan Kenny TD has today called for Minister of Education Helen McEntee to pause the introduction of Leaving Certificate reform. The reforms are set to come into place this September.
Deputy Kenny said:
“Every teaching group and union is calling for the reforms to be paused, along with many teaching associations, many parents and many students. The groundwork needed to make these changes impactful, has simply not been completed and the Minister is burying her head in the sand.
“Poorly implemented reforms won’t benefit anyone. The Minister must now pause senior cycle reform.Teachers simply don’t yet have the training or support needed to successfully make these changes.
“Yesterday I spoke to the Irish Science Teachers Association who are crying out for the Minister to pause the reform. They believe that it will contribute to widening inequality, between private and public schools. This is a far cry from the Departments ‘equity and access for all.’ While €4000 was granted by the Department of Education for science equipment, this is a drop in the ocean of what is actually required. Even 81% of science teachers surveyed have stated that their school labs are inadequately resourced for such a level of work – the Minister must listen to what’s happening on the ground.
“We in Labour have called for Leaving Cert reform but rushed, inadequately-resourced, and ill-thought out policy changes will be a disaster for schools and students. Minister McEntee must wake up and smell the coffee on Leaving Certificate reform.”