Meet Our Officers: Jane Hayes Nally, President
My name is Jane M Hayes-Nally, and I am a fifth year student from Loughaderra in County Cork. I was elected president of the Irish Second-Level Student Union last April, after my term as Education Officer during 2015/16. My love and motivation towards the Union has grown with every day I serve on the National Student Executive. I believe that with every student who discovers the work and aims of the union, the closer we become to realising our voices as students and advocating the changes that Irish students want.As president, you are given much responsibility and therefore much is expected from you. I try to motivate the people who I work with and the students I meet, in the hope that they will share my determination and passion for our cause. There are many things I look forward to working on this term, from student events to our Board of Management project, and I am delighted to be working alongside the most fantastic people. I hope by the end of the year, I will be proud of the work we have achieved.
Check out Jane's speech from the #EducationIs demo.
A cháirde,My name is Jane Hayes Nally.I am a 17 Year old student in St Mary's High School. I am in 5th year at the minute and I am also the president of the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union. We represent the second-level students in Ireland and we believe in an education system without barriers. I want to study science when I finish school. I want to go to college and I want to make my contribution to the social, cultural and economic growth of the Irish society. I want a future. I want the chance to stay in Ireland and to study in Ireland. I, and many of my fellow students are marching on this day because we need to be heard. We are telling this country that we need publicly funded education in order for us to have this opportunity. We need publicly funded education so that we get a chance to study, to better ourselves and to become qualified. But we are not alone however and we are not just students marching here today. We are among our parents, our teachers and our future lecturers. We are with members of national unions, organisations and charities. We are among people that believe in the same right to education as we do. Education Is: A human right and education is my right.Education Is: My opportunity to create, to succeed, to achieve.Education is the essential exchange of information from teacher to classroom, lecturer to laboratory, author to readership, and speaker to the world.Education Is the remembrance of history to prevent its disasters repeating itself. It's is the comprehension of science in order to react with our environment peacefully, and to further discover our universe.Education Is the art of the world’s languages, the successful communication between two people, and the appreciation of the way words can change the world.Education Is the promotion of mathematics and logic, the engine behind advancements in technology and computers, and the reason why we are edging closer to a world where 6.8 billion people could all be connected online.Education Is debate, discussion, dispute. It is an opportunity to open one’s mind, to consider ideas you could not have imagined.There is no justification for a scheme which will limit the access of Irish people to education. There is no justification for burdening our students with debts when we are in a position to fund these opportunities, just like the Cassells report deemed viable. Let us not make education exclusive to the students who can afford to fund it privately, and forcing those who must take out loans to pay more for education, | as will happen when loan payments and interest are combined. Let us not deplete the number of mature and part-time students who study in our colleges, as has been experienced in Australia and the UK. Let us open education up to all, make it equal, inclusive, and accessible.And Today we're saying: Listen US!And listen loud and clear, because we’re saying No to student debt.No to an unsustainable loan scheme.We are saying No to an unequal education system.We are saying No to limiting access to education.We are saying NO to denying me MY future! To depriving me of the opportunity to enter third level education. ME and many of my fellow students.It comes down to a choice.We have a choice in what kind of Ireland will exist in the future.By improving Irish education today, we can improve the Ireland of tomorrow.End.
This week the government launched the Action Plan for Education aimed at making the Irish education and training service the best in Europe by 2026.
The Irish Second-Level Students’ Union has reviewed the strategy and welcome actions that will have a positive impact for our members. In particular the aims to strengthen the role of the student, enhance the TY Programme, the introduction of the Wellbeing Programme for Junior Cycle and Wellbeing Guidelines for schools, reduction of hidden costs, increasing the school-leaving age, introduction of new Leaving Certificate subjects, fairness in admission policies and the enhancement of guidance counsellors.Click here to read the full document.Strengthening the Role of the StudentThe ISSU welcomes the actions that will strengthen the role of students as partners in their education. Student voice can play a hugely important role in the school community and young people are fully capable of articulating their views and providing knowledgeable insights into the world of education from a student’s perspective. The ISSU also welcome aims to develop an education ombudsman and introduce a stronger complaints procedure and charter for parents and learners. We would welcome the opportunity for further consultation with the DES and with our colleagues in the National Parents’ Council post-primary to develop this charter.
“Strengthen the role of parents and students and provide greater school choice Parents and students are key stakeholders in the teaching and learning process. We will develop a Parents and Learners Charter to give parents and students a stronger voice at school level.”“Strengthen the role of parents and students, and deliver progress in providing greater school choice.”“Introduce a stronger complaints procedure and charter for parents and learners; Bring the heads of bill to provide for a parents and learners charter to the Oireachtas Committee on Education. The proposed legislation will take account of developments in relation to an education ombudsman”.
Enhancement of the TY ProgrammeIn our submission to the strategy, the ISSU stated that we support the enhancement of the Transition Year programme and the proposed increase of programs in industry and in colleges for Transition Year students.
“We will evaluate transition supports available to young people at all levels of the education, with a view to promoting initiatives which support young people at critical points in their lives. Transition Year, in particular, will be used to prepare young people with key skills before they make the transition to higher education or work. We will work with industry and colleges to open up new opportunities and programmes in transition year.”
Wellbeing Programme for Junior Cycle and Wellbeing Guidelines for SchoolsThe ISSU welcomes the introduction of the Wellbeing Programme to the Junior Cycle and the aims outlined in the strategy to improve services and resources to promote wellbeing in our schools. We hope that measures are taken to ensure that the wellbeing guidelines are implemented in all schools and that schools are provided with the resources to do so, as committed in the strategy.
“Improve services and resources to promote wellbeing in our school communities to support success in school and life.Schools will be assisted in embedding wellbeing guidelines. A mandatory area of learning entitled Wellbeing will be introduced in Junior Cycle in 2017. The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) will be expanded.”“Commence and roll out, as resources permit, a national programme to support the implementation of wellbeing guidelines to all primary and post-primary schools. The guidelines will provide a clear and rational structure to support the promotion of positive mental health and wellbeing in all schools.Wellbeing programmes will be available to all students.”
Reduce Hidden CostsIn the ISSU’s submission to the strategy, we expressed concern with the hidden costs of second-level education, such as the extravagant and disproportionate costs of school books and uniforms. We welcome the new circular regarding school uniform policy and other costs, stating the need to reduce the cost and increase financial support for book rental schemes.
“We will issue a new circular to school authorities and ETBs regarding school uniform policy and other costs and the need to put a greater emphasis on reducing the cost of school uniforms and other costs. The views of the National Parent Councils and other education partners will be considered and will feed into the development of the circular.”“Increasing the financial support for book rental schemes, as resources permit, in order to reduce/eliminate school book costs for parents.”
School Leaving AgeThe ISSU welcomes the increasing of the mandatory school-leaving age to 17 as well as the proposals for extra educational programs aimed at improving school completion rates in disadvantaged areas. The ISSU believes that equality of opportunity in the education system must be realised for all second-level students and so additional supports such as those outlined in the strategy must be delivered in order to achieve this equality.
“14.1.8 The new Government will seek to increase mandatory schooling to age 17 and examine how we can further improve school completion rates, particularly in disadvantaged areas.”
Increasing Leaving Cert ChoiceThe Leaving Certificate is increasingly becoming a more unjust assessment method for disadvantaged students who, in contrast to wealthier, more supported students, do not have access to “grinds schools” who charge high fees in exchange for completely exam driven lessons with high quality teachers, and also to ‘grinds’ themselves, lessons outside of school to aid a student’s understanding and knowledge of a subject. Irrespective of how hard disadvantaged students work, the student who can afford these resources is more likely to achieve higher results.To quote the students who attended an event held by the ISSU in the past few months, it is “completely unjust that one student could score higher than the other purely because one had money to fund private lessons”. The Leaving Certificate is a system which is neither fair nor equal, and we see it becoming more of a business and more as an opportunity for capital each year, which puts vulnerable students at even more of a disadvantage.
“A new grading system and common points scheme will be implemented from 2017 as part of improvements to the transition from second level to higher education.”“Increasing subject choice for students is important for student motivation and engagement and for ensuring curriculum development continues to respond to the changing needs of learners, society and the economy”
New Leaving Certificate SubjectsThe Irish Second-level Students’ Union believes that the introduction of subjects such as the arts, Politics and Society, entrepreneurial education, mental health and the new Leaving Certificate subject of P.E. are very positive changes and we support these subjects. We are concerned however that they may be poorly implemented in certain schools and that implementation will be dependent on school resourcing, the support of the school management and the interest and motivation of teachers. This may mean that students in certain schools miss out, as their students may be under resourced or their parents may not be able to fund additional costs associated with certain modules and subjects.
“The introduction of a new Leaving Certificate P.E. syllabus, as a full optional subject.”“It is both significant and appropriate that a new Leaving Certificate Politics and Society syllabus will commence roll-out this Autumn in the centenary year of the Easter Rising”
Fairness in Admission PoliciesThe Irish Second-level Students’ Union welcomes the transfer of some Catholic Schools to new patrons and the School Admissions and Excellence Legislation which will should ensure that there is fairness in admission policies for second-level schools. However, we believe that the legislation should be amended to completely prevent schools from discriminating against certain students on the basis of religion. The ISSU believes that admission to school should be based on proximity and there should be no discrimination in admission policies.
“The principles laid out in the equal status (admission to schools) bill 2016, but believe there are issues that require scrutiny, as laid out in the motion proposed by the government and passed by the Dáil. these include possible impacts on minority religions, the issue of mandatory catchment areas, impact on school transport, and issues of competing rights and the constitution. We will consider proposals on this issue following consideration by the Oireachtas committee.“
Enhancement of Guidance CounsellorsWe would request that the Department put in place a structured plan and a detailed strategy on how the level of guidance counsellors will be increased and how guidance counsellors should be further trained to equip them with the skills to adequately provide mental health, emotional and wellbeing supports to students. All guidance counsellors should have suitable training and / or qualifications to fulfil their role and guidance must be included in Whole School Evaluations. We believe career guidance counselling is an imperative part of second-level education, due to restrictive subject choices and third level admission policies and believe that it is increasingly clear that adequate mental health and emotional supports are required for all young people and that these should be provided in schools through increased access to quality guidance counselling. The ISSU believes that this should be a priority in the Strategy for Education.
“We will enhance guidance counselling at second level, as resources allow.” “Increasing the take up of Mental Health Programmes, strengthening guidance counselling and strengthening NEPS with a new focus on whole-school policies.”
End.
Why I wish I celebrated on Junior Certificate Night
As anyone who knows me will assure you, I aim high.Growing up I had Bible verse 6:7 from the Book of Galatians drilled into me, the words "You reap what you sow" being quoted at every opportunity; Christmas dinner, birthday parties, Sunday lunch. It was made very clear to me at a young age that if I refused to work hard I would never make anything of myself, and it's with this instilled logic that I have always tried desperately to realise my full potential, whether it be inside or outside of school.Now, I enjoy learning immensely. I loved my Junior Certificate subjects. I adored my teachers. I got on well with my classmates. But I would be lying if I denied that Verse 6:7 is what motivated me to work during the three years of Junior Cycle. "The Pursuit of Excellence" is what my father would refer to it as, but perhaps a more honest label could be "Fear of Failure". I was hyper-aware of the successes of others, and cripplingly self-aware when it came to my own flaws. To this day I refuse to ask for help in class when I don't understand something, in the fear that I be seen as unintelligent. I study up on chapters before the class covers them so that I might impress a teacher when I can answer their questions on new material perfectly. I'm constantly worrying about the possibility that I may not succeed, that I won't have an amazing job, that I won't be able to have a beautiful house, that I won't see the world, because I was lazy as a student. This is my biggest fear, and this fear is the reason I pushed myself with my work the way I did.The three week period of the Junior Certificate was indeed the worst three weeks of my life, and I still get unsettling nightmares where I can't answer questions or I forget that I have French in the morning and History in the evening.Thankfully these incidents didn't happen (now I know that even if they did, it wouldn't be that big of a deal!). I did all the things that the ISSU exam tips advised me against... I didn't exercise, didn't take study breaks, didn't sleep well. During two hour breaks between papers I told my friends I was getting lunch with my mother but revised my notes erratically in a toilet cubicle instead, writing out definition after definition, trying desperately to retain everything, despite already having studied everything a hundred times before.My coping mechanism for this miserable time was to imagine myself in a parrell universe, on a island surrounded by turquoise water and bright white sand. This is what essentially got me through those sleep-deprived, stress filled days, pretending I wasn't actually in the real world. Not a very healthy state of mind.At the end I was practically sub-human. I hadn't had a proper conversation with another person in weeks, hadn't relaxed, hadn't gone put with my friends to the cinema or gone on sleepovers .It took me about a month to get back to normal, where I felt as good as I had before my Junior Cert pres, before I had the constant worry of state exams on my shoulders.Results week came around, and everyone was planning outfits, venues, which restaurant to go to, which house to get ready in. I firmly declined all offers, despite my friends pleas. I was so worried about not doing well that I made sure there could be no one around me to ask me what I got, because telling them I did badly would be mortifying. I planned to isolate myself rather than be with the girls I loved on such a special night, because I couldn't risk feeling like a failure.On the day of results, I got the grades I had fantasised about, and I achieved the highest marks in my school year. I cried as soon as I saw the neat row of letters... Not from happiness as such but I was relieved. In my mind, anything less than the highest would have been a disappointment. As I recall it, i realise how twisted that was, to be more relieved that I didn't fail than happy that I succeeded.And as I had planned, I spent that night at home, on my own. I had ruined a few months of my life to achieve the grades I wanted, and now that I had them, I didn't even celebrate my hard work. I didn't feel the need to either, because as everyone had told me, "the Junior Certificate doesn't mean anything". I was informed that even though my grades were great, the Leaving Certificate is the only thing that matters anyway. I spent that evening on social media, looking at all my school friends enjoying themselves, and feeling rather empty.I wish I had spent time with my friends during the lead up to exams and on those breaks between papers. My best friends are there to confide in, and to trust, and they have the ability to make me think about things logically and calmly.I wish I had spoken to my family during the weeks of the Junior Cert, when I was just a few inches away from a potential breakdown. I didn't have to treat my mind and body the way I did, I placed results above my wellbeing.And I really wish that I could have pushed away my fear of failure, which still permeates my attitude to school, and celebrated an achievement I should have been very very proud of.In Irish society, getting your results means a lot. Even if the Junior Cert isn't the be all and end all, (and it definitely is not) finishing the Junior Cycle is significant. you are moving on to your last years of secondary school, you are getting closer to coming of age, you're growing up. You're not some little girl or boy straight out of National School anymore, and the next few years will be full of change, of new influences, of new people, and of new beginnings.Perhaps if I measured my "success" in moments of happiness rather than credentials on paper, I could have made that occasion a night to remember.The day you get your Junior Certificate results is not the day to "chill on the sofa and watch some TV". Take it from someone who's done it, you will regret it so much.Whether you are happy or unhappy, or even if you feel completely ashamed of your marks, my advice is that you should still do something. Something which is special to you, something different, something which you will remember and which will landmark this special day. Jane M. Hayes Nally is the President of the Irish Second-Level Students' Union. Jane is a 6th year student in St. Mary’s High School Midleton, Co. Cork.The Irish Second-Level Students' Union is the national union for second-level students in Ireland. The ISSU works towards an education system in which the views, opinions and contributions of students are respected in which students are recognised as an official partner in creating an education that is centred around and caters best for students.
Officer Blog: OBESSU General Assembly 2016
Ellen O'Rourke, ISSU International Officer
Blog: Transition Year Work Experience
Saoirse reviews her Transition Year Work Experience in the ISSU Office.
Every Wednesday from April 6th to May 11th this year I worked in the ISSU office in Liberty Hall as part of my Transition Year work experience. During my time in the ISSU office I got to do a wide range of administration and secretarial work which I found very interesting and beneficial. I worked closely with the ISSU's General Secretary, Rebecca Dempsey, along with members of the NSE (National Student Executive).Walking up to Liberty Hall on the first day I was unsure of what to expect. I didn't know a lot about the work that the ISSU and National Student Executive did on a daily basis. I signed in at the front desk of Liberty Hall and was told to go to the 9th floor where the ISSU office is located. As I opened up the door to the office, I was greeted with a friendly and welcoming hello from Rebecca. I was first brought to the desk that I would be working at for the following few weeks, then I got a tour of the office and was given a brief but informative overview of what work was done in the ISSU and the type of work that I would be involved in.From the first day I completed many different types of office work and I personally found that my computer skills were developed greatly. I developed my computer skills by using the various databases, using Excel to make tables, and using Microsoft word to write blogs and creating lists. Other work included typing, printing and sending letters out to Student Councils throughout the country, and proof reading letters and documents. One of my main tasks whilst working in the ISSU was writing a blog piece. I really enjoyed writing my blog piece on the topic of the Junior Certificate as it was something different that I had never done before and I also enjoyed hearing feedback from people who had read my blog and had taken something useful from it.Writing the blog was one of them things that I only expected to be a small project but it turned out to be something much more. The blog was not only on the ISSU website but SpunOut.ie posted it on their page and have asked me to write for them again. In addition to that, my school uploaded it onto the school website where it got lots of attention from exam students. Because of this, I have been asked to tutor many Junior Cert students in a number of different subjects. If I wasn't asked by Rebecca to write the blog piece, none of these opportunities would have been opened up to me. That's why I think Transition Year is a great course to take part in, so many opportunities are opened up to you that you never thought would be.I learned so much from working in the ISSU and out of all the places I did my work experience in this year, the ISSU was no doubt one of my favourites. The people involved in the ISSU are some of the nicest people I have ever met, especially Rebecca who I worked closely with. I felt so comfortable working and talking with them. I was only in the ISSU for 6 weeks but in that short space of time I learned so much and developed as a person.I would definitely recommend working in or with the ISSU for work experience next year or any year after that to Transition Year students. You'll learn a lot of valuable skills and get to work in a new environment with lovely people. It was sad to leave the ISSU as I finished my work experience module but I've gained so much from it and would definitely work with them again if the if the opportunity came up.Note: Saoirse attends Ashbourne School in Ashbourne Co. Meath. You can read her article on getting through the Junior Cert here: http://issu.ie/2016/05/one-year-junior-cert/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