Think of the Students. It's real life, not just a timetable
PRESS STATEMENT 13/06/12Irish Second-Level Students' Union*** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ***
ISSU Calls for Increased Security Measures in Wake of Leaving Certificate Security Breach
PRESS STATEMENT 08/06/12
Irish Second-Level Students' Union
*** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***
The Irish Second-Level Students' Union (ISSU) is disappointed by the Security Breach which will result in new Leaving Certificate Irish Paper One Exams and Aural CDs being distributed to schools in advance of Monday afternoon's exam. ISSU believes that more stringent security measures need to be put in place in the future to prevent further mistakes - particularly as there have been a number of similar incidents in recent years. The Leaving Certificate Aural Exam was played to a number of groups sitting the Junior Certificate Exam yesterday morning, meaning that the recording and associated exam paper have to be replaced for the equivalent Leaving Certificate Exam on Monday.ISSU President, Dylan Grace said; "The State Examinations Commission are lucky in this case as there are a number of days between the Junior and Leaving Certificate Irish Aural exams so there is time to rectify the error without creating mass disruption. However, we simply cannot keep having repeats of past mistakes which result in the significant costs of printing exam papers, producing CDs and distributing them nationwide. While this won't create a direct disadvantage to any student, it is could potentially be playing on students' minds and causing them additional stress at an already stressful time. We need to improve security measures to prevent these mistakes being repeated yet again."The ISSU are runnning a daily exam blog throughout the exams on www.issu.ieFor more please contact ISSU Communications Office, 01-443 4461, communications@issu.ie*****************ENDS *****************
The ISSU would like to remind all students that it is the State Examinations Commission prepares 2 papers for each exam every year, and that the contingency paper would have been made at the same time as the first paper in line with SEC examination protocol. Students should not be concerned about the implementation of an contingency paper, it means the SEC is protecting the integrity of the exam paper to ensure a fair exam for all candidates. Simply put, comparing the differences between the first paper and the contingency paper would be like comparing two different brands of milk. Candidates should concentrate on preparations for their Irish Exam as normal and try not to get distracted by any media hype this creates.
As we say, “curtains” to another year of second-level State Examinations
Irish Second-Level Students’ UnionPRESS STATEMENT
As we say, “curtains” to another year of second-level State Examinations
As 5pm today (Friday) approached, the curtain fell on the last State Exam of 2010. It’s been an interesting year for the exams, blunders and mistakes have to be the distinctive theme for 2010. As well that, media focus on state examination grade inflation and claims that the system is being “dumbed down” in recent times seems to have caused the State Examinations Commission to use the 2010 state examinations as a trump card to dispel these rumours. Barely a trace of the usual predictability was to be seen on this year’s papers with the absence of predicted topics breaking what were decade-long patterns in some cases. While the ISSU firmly believes that a state examination system that is not based on predictability and rote-learning should exist, it was not fair on the students of 2010 to suddenly break away from age-old patterns that students that have gone before them have reaped the benefits of on many a results day. However, the real question is whether the State Examinations Commission, safe in the knowledge that it has dismissed any notions of predictability with this year’s papers, will resort back to patterns and predictable ways in the future?It seems that now more than ever – a complete revamp of the whole examination system is needed. To perform at your optimum ability for 300 minutes so as to be examined on two years of work is unrealistic, unfair and stressful. It appears that the greatest irony of the Leaving Certificate is that you complain about it whilst doing it (when you’re young) – but once finished, it’s a distant nightmare and you make best attempts to suppress the memories of those sunny exam days. Surely there is a better way?The ISSU urges the Department of Education and Skills to act on the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment’s recommendations for Junior Cycle review as soon as they are made available. The ISSU also calls on the Minister for Education and Skills to reconsider the review of the Leaving Certificate which was recently shelved due to its estimated cost of €100 million. This year has highlighted, yet again, the need for a more adaptive and student friendly form of final examination. The LC has its benefits but does it prepare you for life? Hardly! Does it prepare you for further education? The answer is no.__ENDS__Notes to Editor:ISSU is the national umbrella body for school Student Councils, aiming to represent and connect Irish second-level students the length and breadth of the country, ensuring that the voice of the Irish second-level student is heard and striving for innovation and democracy within the education system. ISSU is a not-for profit student rights organisation.At ISSU we believe that young people are not merely citizens in waiting - we deserve better, we deserve to be heard. We can and will contribute positively to society. It is so important that our voices, views and opinions are (i) heard (ii) listened to (iii) and most importantly respected. This is what ISSU is all about. We’re here for you.Our main aims include:
- To provide training and development of second-level school Student Councils, in conjunction with relevant bodies.
- To develop policies on issues affecting Irish second-level students and bring the needs and rights of students to the attention of the relevant authorities.
- To provide a transparent, democratic and reliable organisation.
- To work in collaboration with other educational institutions and bodies both in Ireland and Europe.
- To work closely with educational curriculum policy makers and teachers’ unions to continually develop a transparent, fair and modern education system.
- And most importantly, to give students a structured platform through which the voice of the Irish second-level student will be heard.
ISSU represents students at a national level and is affiliated to; Anna Lindh Foundation, Children’s Mental Health Coalition, Children’s Rights Alliance, NYCI, Stand up for Education Alliance, and the WHEEL. On an international level, ISSU works closely with OBESSU. ISSU also works with curriculum development teams and various advisory bodies. Contact:www.issu.ie, email communications@issu.ie or call 01 443 4461.
Examiners Need to Go Back to the Classroom
Irish Second-Level Students’ UnionPRESS STATEMENT *FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*
Examiners Need to Go Back to the Classroom 21/06/’10
The Irish Second-Level Students’ Union is appalled at the errors with today’s Leaving Cert Accounting paper. It is completely unacceptable that misprinted papers be distributed to students particularly after the errors encountered with last week’s Junior Certificate Business Studies paper. Standard security procedures were breached when the State Examinations Commission had to resort to emailing the correct version of the paper in question to schools which had received the misprinted papers.The State Examinations Commission released the information that there was an “editing error” on today’s Higher Level Accounting Paper last week and rumours of this circulating through the media had been unnerving students over the weekend – Higher Level students sat down to their paper expecting to be alerted to an error on the paper but then only Ordinary Level students were informed of an error on their paper causing confusion and uncertainty among Higher Level students who had been left in suspense for days about an error on their paper…. an error that really didn’t add up!Incidents such as these undermine confidence in our examinations system and cause unnecessary additional stress and anxiety for students under already demanding and challenging exam conditions. The ISSU calls on the State Examinations Commission to ensure that stricter proof-reading procedures and are put in place and that each batch of exam papers be checked after printing to ensure that errors such as these do not go undetected with exam papers in future years. The ISSU implores the State Examinations Commission to take the discrepancies with today’s paper into account when considering the marking-scheme of the paper. Carelessness by students is frowned upon; carelessness by those that set the exam is unacceptable and easily avoided.__ENDS__Notes to Editor:ISSU is the national umbrella body for school Student Councils, aiming to represent and connect Irish second-level students the length and breadth of the country, ensuring that the voice of the Irish second-level student is heard and striving for innovation and democracy within the education system. ISSU is a not-for profit student rights organisation.At ISSU we believe that young people are not merely citizens in waiting - we deserve better, we deserve to be heard. We can and will contribute positively to society. It is so important that our voices, views and opinions are (i) heard (ii) listened to (iii) and most importantly respected. This is what ISSU is all about. We’re here for you.Our main aims include:
- To provide training and development of second-level school Student Councils, in conjunction with relevant bodies.
- To develop policies on issues affecting Irish second-level students and bring the needs and rights of students to the attention of the relevant authorities.
- To provide a transparent, democratic and reliable organisation.
- To work in collaboration with other educational institutions and bodies both in Ireland and Europe.
- To work closely with educational curriculum policy makers and teachers’ unions to continually develop a transparent, fair and modern education system.
- And most importantly, to give students a structured platform through which the voice of the Irish second-level student will be heard.
ISSU represents students at a national level and is affiliated to; the WHEEL, NYCI, Anna Lindh Foundation, Stand up for Education Alliance, Children’s Mental Health Coalition and the Children’s Rights Alliance. On an international level, ISSU works closely with OBESSU. ISSU also works with curriculum development teams and various advisory bodies.Contact:www.issu.ie, email info@issu.ie or call 01 443 4461.
ISSU Condemns Cheating During State Examinations
Irish Second-Level Students’ UnionPRESS STATEMENT *FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*
Cheating during State Examinations 15/06/’10
The Irish Second-Level Students’ Union welcomes the investigation being conducted by the State Examinations Commission into cheating by candidates during the Junior and Leaving Certificate exams.Incidents of this nature undermine the credibility of our education system on a national and international level and so the ISSU calls on students to report any efforts at cheating that are brought to their attention during the exams, as it is the credibility of their educational qualifications that are at stake. The ISSU urges students not to stay silent for fear of being labelled a “snitch” as incidences can be reported in confidence to the relevant authorities. The ISSU also calls on the State Examinations to ensure that superintendents implement stricter regulations and checks to ensure that attempts to cheat during exams do not go undetected as unless more rigorous measures are enforced, attempts at cheating will escalate in future years and confidence in the Irish exam system will be gravely undermined.__ENDS__Notes to Editor:ISSU is the national umbrella body for school Student Councils, aiming to represent and connect Irish second-level students the length and breadth of the country, ensuring that the voice of the Irish second-level student is heard and striving for innovation and democracy within the education system. ISSU is a not-for profit student rights organisation.At ISSU we believe that young people are not merely citizens in waiting - we deserve better, we deserve to be heard. We can and will contribute positively to society. It is so important that our voices, views and opinions are (i) heard (ii) listened to (iii) and most importantly respected. This is what ISSU is all about. We’re here for you.Our main aims include:
- To provide training and development of second-level school Student Councils, in conjunction with relevant bodies.
- To develop policies on issues affecting Irish second-level students and bring the needs and rights of students to the attention of the relevant authorities.
- To provide a transparent, democratic and reliable organisation.
- To work in collaboration with other educational institutions and bodies both in Ireland and Europe.
- To work closely with educational curriculum policy makers and teachers’ unions to continually develop a transparent, fair and modern education system.
- And most importantly, to give students a structured platform through which the voice of the Irish second-level student will be heard.
ISSU represents students at a national level and is affiliated to; the WHEEL, NYCI, Anna Lindh Foundation, Stand up for Education Alliance, Children’s Mental Health Coalition and the Children’s Rights Alliance. On an international level, ISSU works closely with OBESSU. ISSU also works with curriculum development teams and various advisory bodies.Contact:www.issu.ie, email info@issu.ie or call 01 443 4461.