In July 2011 the Report of a Consultation with Young People on Reform of the Junior Cycle was launched by the Minister for Education and Skills, Mr Ruairi Quinn and the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Ms Frances Fitzgerald). The consultation was organised by the office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (OMCYA), the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment and Dáil na nŌg Council. It is a short and very accessible report setting out very useful insights into what young people enjoy learning and why and what changes they would like to see made to the Junior Cycle programme. Click here to download report.

At the launch of the report, Minister for Education and Skills referred to his intention to move forward with changes to the Junior Cycle naming two significant planks of change for early implementation:

• capping the number of subjects to be taken in the Junior Certificate examinations at eight from 2015 and
   
• placing more emphasis on continuous assessment.

As TUI advised in earlier communications discussions on the reform of the Junior Cycle have been underway since 2009 following a request from the then Minister for Education and Science to the NCCA to look at what changes should be considered based on national research and international practice in respect of education provision at this level.

TUI made a lengthy submission to the NCCA in this regard following its publication of an initial set out ideas for change (Click here for full response). Notwithstanding an acceptance of the need for some changes at this level of education in terms of how the Junior Cycle serves young people and society TUI continues to raise a range of educational and resource concerns about the ideas being put forward in a wide range of fora. In particular given the significant reduction in teacher numbers and resources available to schools, families and teacher support services TUI questions the administrative, operational and professional capacity to implement beneficial change at this time.