Once more, pupils in what is purported to be a low-pressure Junior Cycle examination fell short of attaining even a portion of the top marks given in the Leaving Cert. Certainly, it’s a common knowledge that Leaving Cert grades underwent inflation during the outbreak of the pandemic. The prickly political challenge of lowering them to more genuine levels has been so cautiously handled that the incremental process will only kick off in 2025.
Nevertheless, how believable is it that merely 2.6 per cent of Junior Cycle higher level English students and 3 per cent at ordinary level could secure a distinction, meaning, 90 per cent or above in marks? In contrast, during the Leaving Cert, 6.9 per cent of higher level and 4.1 per cent of ordinary level participants obtained a H1 (90 per cent or higher). Why is there such a stark difference in the distribution of marks? Among all subjects, English exhibits one of the tinier disparities between JC and LC grades.
Securing top marks in English is notoriously challenging, so what’s the situation in science? Much to the dismay of science teachers, JC science is currently a universal level subject. This isn’t about superiority. Teachers, particularly those in science, express concern that universal-level papers are too demanding for what we used to refer to as ordinary level students. These students usually performed exceptionally well at the ordinary level, basking in an accomplishment they can no longer attain.
In JC science, only 3.5 per cent managed to receive a distinction. Meanwhile, at LC level, the percentage of students with H1s was 22 per cent for Chemistry, 20.7 per cent for Physics, and 19 per cent for Biology. Even after accounting for aggressive grade inflation, this scenario is ludicrous.
Can the inordinately strict marking in the Junior Cycle be a way to make a point to the educators?
Though certainly not a flawless gauge, the latest PISA report by OECD suggests that students in Ireland are not lacking in aptitude or skills. Among 37 OECD countries, Irish 15-year-olds boasted the highest reading literacy rates. Ireland was placed seventh and eighth for maths and science performance, respectively. Yet, paradoxically, our Jr Cycle results persistently fail to align with our Leaving Cert outcomes.
Few academics hold the view that purposeful grade deflation is instituted to criticise educators who argue that existing Junior Cycle subjects are overly simplified. Seemingly, the difficulty of securing top marks indicates that strictness is enforced. However, this is a misguided notion. The manner in which scores are distributed is determined by yearly marking meetings, regardless of the sufficiency of the initial subject specification.
For some inexplicable reason, the marking method used at a few third level schools – the uncommon practice of not giving over 70 per cent – appears to now be in place at JC level. It’s paradoxical to give significantly higher grades at LC, which will influence the university admission of pupils, where once more, a more restricted grading band will probably be used (provided they are lucky enough to get into some much sought-after courses).
While it may seem trivial to fret over JC grades in situations where children with autism struggle to secure school spots, and schools can’t attract qualified educators, it highlights a systemic issue.
Teachers’ true concerns were brushed aside during the JC reform. They are now apprehensive that the ongoing Leaving Cert overhaul will follow a similar pattern.
The Irish Science Teachers’ Association (ISTA) has voiced serious qualms about the newly proposed outlines for Senior Cycle Biology, Physics, and Chemistry. Schools are believed to cope with additional compulsory assessments that make up an astonishing 40 per cent despite the fact that some of these institutions are seriously lacking in terms of lab facilities.
A budget of €9 million was set aside for phone pouches, but no additional funding was found for laboratories, let alone lab assistants. Sure, the amount given per student to schools has gone up, but it is far from sufficient to cover the cost of Ireland’s last place out of 34 countries in terms of secondary level educational investment as a percentage of GDP.
Those who believe that extra assessment elements will alleviate stress have likely never been in a school during oral examinations, which already count for 40 per cent of the final grade in Irish. This doesn’t even consider the fact that advancements in Generative AI have made essays and projects done outside of a supervised examination setting extremely prone to plagiarism.
As seasoned English instructor Julian Girdham suggests, it may be theoretically possible to devise a meaningful externally moderated assessment like an oral English exam, but it comes with a steep price in terms of time, money and organisational resources – all of which our education system is lacking.
How are all these extra evaluations in every discipline supposed to be carried out in an already congested academic year? In the meantime, in the OCR A levels in England, pupils are required to do compulsory laboratory tasks, however, only the final exam gains credit. Additionally, in the challenging International Baccalaureate, classroom or lab work scores only contribute to 20 per cent in the subject of biology.
A strong argument can be made for delaying extra assessment elements or cutting the percentage of marks designated to them by at least half to 20 per cent. If not, the same pupils who endure disappointment with average results in the Junior Cycle may also serve as the test subjects for the new Senior Cycle, which is remarkably unjust.