Sinn Féin spokesperson on Education and Youth, Darren O’Rourke, has called on Minister Helen McEntee to reconsider her plan to continue with the accelerated rollout of Senior Cycle reform.

Speaking in the Dáil today on Statements on the Programme for Government, Teachta O’Rourke said:

“The Minister announced yesterday that she is doubling down on the previous Minister’s acceleration of Senior Cycle reform. This is a mistake, in my opinion, and I would urge the Minister to reconsider. Time is of the essence in this regard.

“It is very clear that the necessary preparatory work has not been done. Teachers have been left in the dark. They, and their representatives, are not being listened to. They have spelt out in black and white their concerns and, importantly, they have detailed the resources and time actually needed to ensure the successful rollout of Senior Cycle reforms.

“This, in terms of teacher preparation and training; curriculum refinement; resource development; infrastructure resource readiness; impact on examination assessment systems; equity for all students; stakeholder consultation; continuity for current cohorts; workloads for teachers; special educational needs adaptation; budgetary planning; and, global best practice.

“The Minister is on the wrong path and it is a recipe for disaster. The people who will suffer most are the young students. This is not fair or right and I implore the Minister to reconsider and re-engage.”