Students Should Not Be Forced To Sit State Exams During Medical Emergencies
The Irish Second-Level Student`s Union (ISSU) is calling on the Department of Education & Skills and the State Examinations Commission (SEC) to put in place a provision allowing students who are experiencing medical emergencies at the time of their Leaving Certificate exams, so that they have the option to defer the exams and sit them in July along with students who deferred exams due to bereavement.
President of the ISSU, Ciara Fanning commented on the issue, saying “We at the ISSU want students to be able to reach their true potential in the education system. This means allowing students to be in a fit state mentally and physically, whilst sitting the exams that are the culmination of 6 years of second-level education. In no way should students still be feeling the effects of medical emergencies or strong anaesthetics whilst sitting the exam. We are calling on Minister McHugh and the SEC to change this and change it fast so no more students are forced to sit their exams during medical emergencies. These students deserve empathy for their situations and respect in the way they are treated.”.
Ms. Fanning noted that there are many stories of students who had to sit their exams while experiencing medical emergencies. The ISSU has been told stories of students who have been forced to sit Leaving Certificate exams having just given birth, having been in a car crash and having undergone serious operations.
The ISSU recently released a video featuring one of these students, Amy Richards, who sat her Leaving Cert this past June ( Video Link: http://tiny.cc/nex89y ). Amy underwent emergency surgery for acute appendicitis at 1am on the morning of English Paper 1. The surgery lasted four hours, finishing at 5 am. Moments prior to beginning her English Paper One exam she was informed that she was in fact lucky to be alive, being told she had a blood infection, a gangrenous appendix and a large abscess in her stomach.
Having undergone a serious operation during which she was under general anaesthetic, it is clear that Ms. Richards was not in any state, either physically or mentally to sit a Leaving Certificate exam. It is cases like this that the ISSU wishes to cease from happening. Students experiencing serious medical emergencies during their exams must be shown empathy, and the respect for their health that they deserve. This can be done through the extension of the July deferral scheme for bereaved students to those who are experiencing medical emergencies.
Check out the video with Amy Richards here: http://tiny.cc/nex89y
Admission to Schools Bill 2016
Education (Admission to Schools) Bill Explanation
There has been lots of talk about the changes to the Admission to Schools Bill that will affect entry to primary and post primary schools nationwide. We’ve broken down the jargon, to (hopefully) explain clearly what it all means.So let’s start at the beginning;What is it?2011 – A discussion paper on school enrolment was launched and this was discussed at a public consultation.2013 – After this consultation a Draft General Scheme for an Education (Admission to Schools) Bill along with two other drafts were published.2014 – These were referred to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education & Social Protection and the public, parents and education stakeholders were given the chance to provide feedback on them. After this feedback was gathered, a report was completed and was published on the 5th of March 2014. A few issues were raised but on the 25th of March 2014, the Government gave approval for drafting Education (Admission to Schools) Bill.2015 – The bill was published on the 8th of April 2015 BUT the bill was not passed through the House of the Oireachtas before Dáil Éireann was dissolved on the 3rd of February2016 to allow for the election of a new government in the General Election which took place in 2016.So what does this mean?The draft bill has been discussed and debated recently as many people (including us in the ISSU) feel that it is needed but that it still doesn’t provide for all of the changes to the law that many people believe are necessary. It doesn’t prevent students being discriminated against on the basis of their religion or non-religion. Many people and organisations have been campaigning and asking for further changes to be made to the bill.However, this week the bill was approved by the government BUT without including a provision to remove the ‘baptism barrier’ which prevents students that have not been baptised from gaining entry to certain schools. The legislation is expected to be drafted by next week and the amendments that will be brought forward to change the law on school admissions include the following:
- Denominational schools (schools that have a faith ethos/that follow a certain religion) which are not oversubscribed (still have places), must admit all students who apply regardless of their religion;
- The government will ensure that a child with special needs is given the opportunity to attend a designated school by the National Council for Special Education or Tusla
- All schools will be required to publish their admission policies, including details on how they will provide for children who decline to take part in religious education;
- Waiting lists will be banned. This means that children can only apply for a place in a school one year before admission;
- School admission fees will be banned;
- Discrimination in school admissions will be banned BUT schools of a faith ethos (96% of primary schools) will still be allowed to give preference to students which practice that faith.
The above are welcomed changes, however it is disappointing that discrimination on the basis of religion has not been properly addressed. As we mentioned in our Equal Access to Education post (http://issu.ie/2016/07/equalaccess/), we believe that all children and young people, regardless of their religious beliefs, should have the choice and option to attend their local school. While there are more multi-denominational and non-denominational second-level schools than non-faith ethos schools, such multi-denominational and non-denominational schools are not located in every area in the country so will not always be a student’s local school. This forces second-level students to travel to a school further away if the local school gives preference to students that practice a religion and so does not grant other students a place on the basis of religion even if the non-religion practicing students had applied for a place first. This will still be allowed to happen under the new legislation as schools will still be allowed to discriminate on the basis of religion.There is a need for Government to ensure that action is taken to ensure that the legislation is amended to outlaw this religious discrimination in schools. This change would ensure that we have schools which respect the values of inclusivity and equality and that these values would be promoted among young people through experiencing different cultures in school and having the chance to make friends from different religious and cultural backgrounds. This would be a really positive change for Irish society! Please note: blog posts reflect the opinion of the author and not necessarily the opinion of the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union. Blogs are updated daily by 6.30 pm on scheduled examination dates.Zeminar is an event for Generation Z, particularly those aged between 15 and 19, and their parents, teachers, mentors and coaches. It will take place from 11th - 13th of October 2016. For more information see www.zeminar.ie
Equal Access to Education
The Irish Second-Level Students' Union welcomes Education Equality's gathering yesterday and calls on the Government to implement proposed legislation to ensure that schools can no longer discriminate on the basis of religion.The ISSU believes that all children and young people, regardless of their religious beliefs, should have the choice and option to attend their local school. 80% of migrant children currently attend just 23% of Irish schools. It is vital that young people are not discriminated against on the basis of religion so that religious segregation is not allowed to continue in our education system. The government must introduce legislation now to ensure that Ireland has an education system which is free from discrimination and division. We must instill values in our children from a young age through inclusive schools to ensure that Irish communities and the wider Irish society are built on values of tolerance, integration and equality.We have been involved with the discussions and conversations in relation to the Admissions Bill to education. We will continue this work and hope that positive changes for admissions to schools will occur in the near future.For more information you can see Education Equality's website here: http://www.educationequality.ie/ Please note: blog posts reflect the opinion of the author and not necessarily the opinion of the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union. Blogs are updated daily by 6.30 pm on scheduled examination dates.Zeminar is an event for Generation Z, particularly those aged between 15 and 19, and their parents, teachers, mentors and coaches. It will take place from 11th - 13th of October 2016. For more information see www.zeminar.ie
CAO Applications - Deadlines & top tips!
What you need to know about the CAO
It's that time of year again when 6th year students are deciding upon their college options. The CAO officially opened for online applications on November 5th 2015.Start filling out your CAO as soon as you think you're ready, don't rush into it but don't leave it until the last minute. It's easier (cheaper) and quicker to fill out your application online on the CAO website. It would be wise to register early and get the discounted online rate of €25 before January 20th @ 5.15pm. Once you've registered you can go back later and add or change courses until the first closing deadline; February 1st. After this date any changes made incur a fee.
Dates for your diary
January 20th at 5:15pm- Closing date for early bird price €25 CAO application (it is €40 after this date).- Closing date for early bird HPAT-Ireland price €120 (it is €190 after this date).February 1st at 5:15pm- Closing date for €40 CAO application.- Late registrations for HPAT-Ireland are accepted costing €190. The HPAT-Ireland test will talk place nationwide on February 27th 2016.
Restricted Courses - make sure you apply in round one
For anyone who's interested in restricted courses i.e. courses that require a portfolio, interview or aptitude test you need to make sure that your choice is listed before February 1st – it may be too late after that date for restricted courses.Don't panic, once you've register you have until March 1st @ 5.15pm to submit your final round 1 application. Late applications are accepted up to and including May 1st – but try not to leave it this late if you can – extra fees apply. You should expect to receive a paper copy of your statement of applications during the last week in May.After the Leaving Cert you have until July 1st to change your CAO if you're really unsure of a course. Always consult your career guidance counsellor before making changes like this at such a late stage. CAO round offers will be made available at 6:00 am on the 22nd of August 2016.
Deciding what to apply for:
* Look at lots of college brochures and get an idea of what courses interest you. If your school doesn't have prospectuses ask them to order some or phone the college yourself and ask to be sent one.* Make sure to check the basic entry requirements for the courses you're interested in. This info will be in the prospectus. For example, many Irish universities require that you have minimum grades in Irish and English as well as the necessary points.* Consider what you want to study AND where you'll be happy living. If you want a taste of city life then check out Dublin, Belfast, Galway, Limerick, Cork, Derry and UK universities. If you're more comfortable living somewhere smaller look at what's on offer in places like the University of Ulster at Coleraine or Sligo I.T.* Once you have an idea of what you're interested in, call the colleges and ask if there's someone you can talk to about the courses on offer.* If possible, visit the universities or colleges you plan to apply for. Most universities have open days, which give you an opportunity to visit the college. There is usually a tour of the facilities and information about everything the university has to offer.* You can usually download the university or college prospectus from their website.
Useful websites:
QualifaxCareers Portalwww.cao.ie
Top Tips!
* When filling in your CAO make sure to put the course you really want to do as first choice. NOT what you think you'll have the results to study!* Fill out the CAO form in plenty of time. Don't forget there is a ‘change of mind' form that you can use if you decide you want to apply for different courses.* Practice filling in the CAO. Make a photocopy of each one and get a teacher or family member to check that everything is filled in properly before you post them off. Or apply online and get someone to look over the application before you finalise it.* The more research you do, the more confident you'll feel when you finally get to that chosen college!* Finally, this is important so swallow your pride or shyness and ask the career guidance teacher to help you. Spend time researching the best options and deciding what you really want to do!
CLOSING OF SCHOOLS MUST STOP
PRESS STATEMENTThe National Student Executive (NSE) of the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union (ISSU) regretfully confirms again that second-level schools will be closed today (January 22nd) due to industrial action by the ASTI and TUI. This is the second day of industrial action to be taken in relation to the proposed Junior Certificate Reforms (JCSA) and with mock examinations due to take place shortly nationwide, this action will undoubtedly have an affect on students and their studies.Speaking this morning, Joanna Siewierska ISSU Education Officer, said;“I respect the teacher unions and their concerns in relation to the Junior Certificate reforms. However, as a Leaving Certificate student I am only ten days away from sitting my mock exams. This second day of strike action is disrupting mine and my fellow students’ education at a very crucial and important point in time. It is adding unnecessary confusion to the JCSA discussion and it is equally unfair to all students in second-level school. The closing of secondary schools needs to stop. Again, we respectfully ask teachers to return to talks with the Minister for Education and Skills”.Craig McHugh, ISSU President, added;"I am extremely disappointed that the striking teacher unions have failed to reach consensus on these reforms and that a second day of strike action is taking place. The JCSA reforms are focused on building a more relevant, fair, engaging and progressive second-level education system. Focus needs to return to the Junior Certificate Reform in its entirety and conversations need to happen between the relevant education stakeholders. Our education is being affected by this. This is not fair on students".***ENDS***Notes to editor:The Irish Second-Level Students’ Union has engaged with Junior Cycle reform discussions and consultations since 2011, and our stance on supporting this reform has been mandated by three annual assemblies, our internal advisory panels and nationwide student focus groups.Contact ISSU Main Office 01 443 4461 / communications@issu.ie
Blog: ISSU Education Officer
Hi! My name is Joanna Siewierska and I am the Education Officer for the Irish Second-Level Students' Union. As the ISSU Education Officer, my term in office has consisted of having to do a lot of research about the JCSA. From training days and chats at conferences, to reading news articles and press statements, having studied the reforms and different opinions about them, I have become a passionate advocate in their favour. I do realise that they are not perfect, but I really believe that they will be better for second-level students in Ireland.However, keeping up with the debate about the reforms has become tiresome for me recently. You see, the teaching unions initial threats and then real industrial action have switched the conversation about the reforms to addressing their concerns, namely, it has switched to assessment related discussion and it's been like this for quite a while now. I do think that this is very important because any reforms to the education system will essentially be brought in by teachers to the classroom. However, I feel like the media have continually focused on one aspect of the Junior Certificate reforms, and that is assessment. This has taken people's attention from the rest of the changes, and people who aren't aware of the full picture have now focused their views on internal assessment instead of giving each aspect of the changes their time.I can understand the concerns around assessment. Honestly, upon hearing about exams being graded by class teachers I too was slightly concerned. But now, I can see that my initial reaction didn't take into account the circumstances which caused the Department of Education and Skills to propose these changes in the first place. It took a lot of time and research for me to finally understand exactly why internal assessment is an absolutely crucial part of the reforms, and I really wish that more people were able to spend this amount of time getting to understand the JCSA.It seems like I'm part of a minority. Strikes and issues over assessment are pretty newsworthy and this sometimes makes me a feel a bit isolated with my views. I love reading interviews with Dr Pasi Sahlberg, such as this one http://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/refusal-by-teachers-to-assess-students-is-a-step-back-says-finnish-expert-1.2062095. Sahlberg's views and suggestions are very interesting. In the above article, he comments that the whole concept of assessment needs to change, even beyond internal and external assessment models, so to suit Irish needs. There are more interesting comments made later by Ms Salmon, general secretary of Community and Comprehensive schools which support ISSU's stance that without changing assessment the reforms will become 'redundant'.So the students have spoken, the Principals have spoken, parents and other partners in education have spoken. We are all in favour of the JCSA reforms and in favour of changing the assessment structure for the benefit of our second-level students.So what is the problem? Why haven't we moved forward in relation to the JCSA? I do not want to condemn teachers or anyone who disagrees with just one aspect of change. I want to listen to their concerns and the Department of Education and Skills to address them too. However, there are now barriers in place so we as the ISSU cannot meet with the teacher unions to discuss our differences. Something has to happen to address this.If this blog has left you questioning your own opinion of the JCSA reforms or has drawn your attention to them and you would like some more information about them, in particular something designed for second-level students, then check out the JCSA Document that ISSU has written up and/or request our JCSA toolkit for member schools. They will explain to you in more detail what our union's stance on this topic is, how it is so and why. Hopefully that will help you in shaping your own opinion of these reforms and understanding the different opinions of various partners in education.And remember, we are always keen on hearing back from students, so if you have any comments or questions drop an email to me (joanna@issu.ie) or our secretariat (info@issu.ie) and we'd be delighted to get back to you.All the best,Joanna SiewierskaISSU Education Officer