Junior Cert could be gone by 2013

niallharty

Does anyone know if this is true? I know the government was thinking about cutting the junior cert, but I recently heard from people in my school that the junior cert will by going in 2013/14!

spurious

Who were the 'people'?
Other students?
There has been nothing said in schools to teachers about it.

LilMissCiara

niallharty wrote: »

Does anyone know if this is true? I know the government was thinking about cutting the junior cert, but I recently heard from people in my school that the junior cert will by going in 2013/14!

99% sure if it gets cut in the near future it won't be until 2014 because this years 1st years have already begun preparing for it. Plus, it won't be a case of just cutting it. I'm sure research and studies will have to go in to alternative methods of teaching, and what students will do with the first 3 years of school.

Mude1

niallharty wrote: »

Does anyone know if this is true? I know the government was thinking about cutting the junior cert, but I recently heard from people in my school that the junior cert will by going in 2013/14!

Its the silly season again..what next...the summer holidays cut to 2 months...same old stuff every year..chill out everyone

spurious

Maybe the changes will be that they might implement it properly as planned in the first place. Every subject was supposed to have a practical/oral/project element - hence History currently being marked out of a peculiar number like 180, instead of 300 with a practical/project element included.

It costs money to do that though, so as with most things in Irish education, they'll find whatever is cheapest and go with that. Then they will blame the teachers ten years later when it all goes pear-shaped.

Slow Show

Geography's only marked out of 150 too, it's very annoying in the written exam because just a few slip-ups and that's the A gone, whereas a project, as well as probably giving the student a better idea of what's going on (my science ones made me begin to love science, true story) would easily separate the A's from the B's while ensuring the best students who've worked the hardest get the best grades.

One of the reasons I wanted to do LC History so badly was for the project element, the amount of interesting things you could base it on was phenomenal...that and that the rise of fascism and communism/Stalin's Russia is the most interesting thing ever...Alas, matriculation has other ideas for me.

niallharty

It's apparently already taking affect for some first years on test in schools. They get a test every term and it is then sent to the education department to provide statistics

Cakes.

The Government are going to seriously review the education system. Ruairi Quinn, the minister for education, believes a continuous assessment system is better than the current system. It was also said that the subjects will be reviewed and changed to prepare students for the real world in the following years.

The Junior may be gotten rid of but I believe it will be changed drastically first.

After all, to change the system it costs money, the Government don't have money, therefore they can't change it.

niallharty

Cakesofrice wrote: »

The Government are going to seriously review the education system. Ruairi Quinn, the minister for education, believes a continuous assessment system is better than the current system. It was also said that the subjects will be reviewed and changed to prepare students for the real world in the following years.

The Junior may be gotten rid of but I believe it will be changed drastically first.

After all, to change the system it costs money, the Government don't have money, therefore they can't change it.

Ok thanks

Colm!

The junior cert will be changed by 2012, but all that means is that the people entering in 2013 will have new courses. ie. the Junior Cert Exam 2015 will be changed.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/plans-to-radically-reform-junior-cert-still-on-agenda-152668.html

spurious

There have been new syllabi ready to go since about 2006 in almost all subjects. They said no money then, at the height of the Celtic Tiger, so I wouldn't hold out much hope for any changes to be improvements.

Quest

Lots of information about what might be coming down the line for the Junior Cert on the NCCA (National Council for Curriculum and Assessment) websites "Junior Cycle Review" page:
http://www.ncca.ie/en/Curriculum_and_Assessment/Post-Primary_Education/Junior_Cycle/Junior_Cycle_Review/

I'd say that's what led to the rumours that the JC was being scrapped: sounds like it will definitely be radically changed - which can't happen soon enough IMO - but there will be a lead in time - so probably too late for those already in the cycle