admin 25/06/2010 admin 25/06/2010

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.

admin 21/06/2010 admin 21/06/2010

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.

admin 15/06/2010 admin 15/06/2010

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.

admin 08/06/2010 admin 08/06/2010

State Examinations 2010

Irish Second-Level Students’ UnionPRESS STATEMENT *FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*

State Examinations 2010 08/06/10

On the eve of the first day of the 2010 state examinations, thousands of Junior and Leaving Cert students across the country are sitting down trying to get as much last minute study done as possible – hurriedly cramming as many home economics facts and paragraphs of prepared English essays off by heart in the hope that they will be able to adapt these essays to suit the questions on tomorrow’s English papers.The sad reality is that in forty-eight or even twenty-four hours time, much of this information will be gone from their memories forever, replaced with quotes for Leaving Cert English Paper two, Junior Cert Irish essays and quotes, mathematical proofs and geographical facts which in turn will be forgotten by the weekend when it comes to cramming for next week’s exams. The current Irish second-level examinations system encourages rote-learning to such an extent that it is detrimental to our students, affecting their ability to adapt at third-level.The ISSU welcomes the current review of the Junior Cycle being undertaken by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment but urges the Department of Education and Skills to act on the NCCA’s recommendations 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. Let’s face facts; the Leaving Certificate doesn’t adequately prepare students for third-level or life outside of education so although the initial cost of an overhaul may seem high, the eventual benefits to our students and to the ‘knowledge-economy’ that the government so often states that it strives for will far out-weigh the initial cost. We need to encourage more creative and dynamic learning at second-level, the ability to rote-learn a paragraph isn’t a fundamental life-skill.The Irish Second-Level Students’ Union will be keeping an online blog during the state examinations with daily contributions from Junior Cert, Leaving Cert Applied and Leaving Cert students from across the country as well as official commentary on each paper from the ISSU.Top tips on exam best practices as well as how to keep stress levels to a minimum can also be found on www.issu.ieOn behalf of all the ISSU team, we would like to wish all students beginning the state examinations tomorrow, the very best of luck.__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.

admin 07/04/2010 admin 07/04/2010

Students welcome Minister’s ‘Clear Signal’ – the proof will be in the pudding

The Irish Second-Level Students’ Union (ISSU) has warmly welcomed the remarks made by the Tánaiste and Minister for Education & Skills, Mary Coughlan at the TUI congress today. Speaking today (Wednesday) an ISSU spokesperson said:

“Minister Coughlan could be the catalyst for change that Irish Education needs. She is clearly bubbling with enthusiasm in her new role and is eager to bring about change. Students are now renewed with optimism at the possibility of bonus points for Leaving Certificate Maths. We also recognise her commitment to some flexibility on the moratorium on posts of responsibility in second-level schools, and her commitment to Junior Certificate reform. Project Maths is set expand to all schools from September; however it needs to be part of reform of the entire system to be truly successful. In a ground-breaking move the Minister has also hinted at this, in her recognition of the need to move away from a system that encourages rote learning in a step towards a system that fosters critical thinking. ISSU calls on the minister to encourage and support the great work of the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union in fostering student voice, participation and empowerment. It is important that she recognises that the needs of those we serve are a vital link in the decision making process ‘Remember Minister, we’re not citizens in waiting!’ We are on the brink of escalation of industrial action by the second-level teaching unions, however there is hope for the future of education if the Minister follows through with her commitments, ultimately the proof will be in the pudding”.

__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.

admin 01/03/2010 admin 01/03/2010

“Times change, let’s move with them. We’re ready are you?”

Irish Second-Level Students’ Union: PRESS STATEMENT The Irish Second-Level Students’ Union welcomes the decision made by Minister O’Keeffe to have a ‘profile analysis’ of grades conducted following concerns regarding the potential ‘dumbing down’ of Irish education standards.ISSU believes that it is of the utmost importance that the credibility of the Irish education system be protected before it affects the ability of our Leaving Certificate students to progress to third level education in an academic facility abroad or the ability of our university graduates to pursue international job opportunities.However ISSU believes that the increase by 500 per cent in the number of students obtaining the ‘perfect Leaving Cert’ cannot simply be put down to ‘grade inflation’. Improvements in ICT and most notably the ease at which students can access information and additional learning resources online as well as the availability of grinds schools have undoubtedly played a major role in the increase in higher grades at Leaving Cert level. ISSU feels that the bell curve formula applied to Leaving Cert results should be made more transparent and accessible to help ensure continuity of results from year to year.Speaking today a spokesperson from ISSU said “Time spent investigating ‘inflation’ of grades is time wasted, as it is obvious that efforts to dumb down the Leaving Certificate have been made for many years now, most notably in the areas of Maths and Science – the most recent being Project Maths. Our State Examinations, Syllabi, and Curriculum need a dramatic overhaul; subject by subject feeding into a more modern examination structure. The Junior and Leaving Certificate exams are old fashioned, out dated and a waste of time and resources. Times change, the world changes but our examinations stay the same? Surely this doesn’t add up! We’ve spend enough time chiselling away at subjects in an attempt to make them more attractive and appear easier. Let’s face facts; the Leaving Certificate doesn’t prepare you for college or life outside of education – and as a result the transition to more ‘independent’ learning at third level becomes a difficult transition for some students. We need to encourage more creative and dynamic learning at second-level, the ability to rote-learn a paragraph isn’t a fundamental life-skill.”