110. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Education if she is satisfied that sufficient efforts are being made to ensure teachers, schools and pupils are adequately prepared for the introduction of the new leaving certificate cycle in the next academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17201/25]

Sentiment score: 0.25

Cuirim ceist ar an Aire faoin obair atá ar siúl sa Roinn faoi láthair chun múinteoirí, scoileanna agus daltaí a shásamh go bhfuil an t-ullmhúchán ceart déanta acu don ardteist nua i mí Mheán Fómhair seo chugainn. I ask the Minister about the efforts under way in the Department to make sure schools, teachers and pupils are adequately prepared for the introduction of the first tranche of the new leaving certificate or senior cycle syllabus for this September.

Sentiment score: 0.25

Aontaím leis an Aire go bhfuil chuile dhuine den tuairim go bhfuil gá le hathchóiriú ar chóras na hardteistiméireachta. I agree there is universal acceptance among all parties and partners in education of the need to reform the leaving certificate and introduce a new senior cycle, in particular one that, as the Minister says, would assess skills development and develop critical thinking rather than just content knowledge. We all welcome that, but there is no doubt there is still some concern among teachers in particular, but not solely among them, as there is also concern among parents and pupils about the accelerated implementation. I very much welcome the information from the Minister tonight that the sample examination papers are to be published tomorrow, because that will help to ease some of the concern. Concerns remain that 40% of the overall grade will be for additional assessment components. Teachers are still worried about how the work will be authenticated as being sincere and genuine.

Sentiment score: 0.17

I echo the point of my colleagues across the floor. Some 82% of teachers surveyed feel they require some guidance on AI in regard to the new leaving certificate and authenticating the work that will be produced as part of the additional assessment component. I am glad to hear the Minister tell us tonight that thousands of students have selected their subjects, because some parents have advised me their child is concerned about picking some of the tranche 1 subjects because of a lack of clarity on or awareness of the assessment process. The publication of the sample examination papers will help. I also welcome the money for science labs because another concern that has been expressed to me by an informed source is about the difference in the resources available to schools. Some schools might have more modern science labs, and more modern schools might also have more science labs than older schools, which would be of assistance to the pupils of those schools in completing the additional assessment components. I very much welcome that but I have some concern about the implementation of new labs.

Sentiment score: 0.24