New Junior Cycle Puts Students at its Heart

ISSU welcomes details of Junior Cycle reform

 The Irish Second-level Students’ Union (ISSU) warmly welcomes the details of Junior Cycle Reform which Minister Ruairi Quinn has announced today. The changes which have been announced today will put the student at the centre of their own education, and go a long way to ensuring that learning outcomes rather than exam performance are the main focus of junior cycle education in Ireland for years to come. The presence of English, Irish, Maths and Science as standardised tests will ensure that at it's core, the new Junior Cycle will preserve academic integrity, and it provides a clear statement on the importance of science in addition to the traditional core subjects of English, Irish and Maths. ISSU Education Officer, Brendan Power said: “The new Junior Cycle has the capacity to revolutionise the educational experience of future second-level students in Ireland.  I firmly believe that the new Junior Cycle will result in a more practical and functional education for students and prepare them for life and future education, rather than train them for exams”.