Junior Cycle examiner shortage must be tackled to avoid future result delay – Kehoe

A shortage of Junior Cycle examiners must be tackled to ensure students are not left in the dark while waiting for a result date in the future, a Fine Gael TD has said.

Wexford TD and Chair of the Joint Committee on Education and Further and Higher Education, Deputy Paul Kehoe, said the effects of the delay on students cannot be underestimated.

Deputy Kehoe said, “A lack of examiners means that 68,000 students across the country now won’t get their results until after the mid-term break.

“Today, the State Examinations Commission (SEC) announced that 2022 Junior Cycle examination results will be issued on November 23^rd. They acknowledged the delay and said a key issue was examiner supply challenges. This year, we’ve seen 30% less examiners than the number who marked the 2019 Junior Cycle exams.

“This recruitment issue has devalued the exam process and made life more difficult for students, especially those who need to make a decision on whether or not they will do Transition Year.

“Minister for Education Norma Foley has said a comprehensive review will allow for detailed scrutiny of the underlying issues. Furthermore, €11m was provided on Budget day to increase examiner pay rates, this will be essential in avoiding a similar scenario next year.

“Unforeseen circumstances such as the pandemic have severely impacted the level of individuals applying as marking professionals. Our focus now must be on increasing those numbers with a new recruitment campaign ahead of next year’s exams,” concluded Deputy Kehoe.