merrion street

Richard Bruton T.D., Minister for Education and Skills today (Wednesday) congratulated students, parents and teachers following the release of the Junior Certificate Examination results for 2016. 60,247 students, an increase of 1.2% on 2015, will receive their results today.

The Minister said, "Congratulations to everyone today receiving their Junior Certificate results. The wait between June and now has no doubt been long for you and your families, but I hope that the results today reflect the hard work you have put into your studies. The Junior Certificate marks an important milestone in every student's second level education. For most, it represents their first experience of the formal examination process. The results this year are generally in keeping with previous years.”

Minister Bruton said he hoped students will continue to build on their success as they move into Transition Year or into Senior Cycle. Congratulating the State Examinations Commission on its fourteenth year of operating the State Examinations, Minister Bruton said "the Commission ensures that the State Examinations operate to the highest degree of integrity and fairness and continue to be held in high regard both here and internationally."

Minister Bruton urged students to enjoy their celebrations with their families and friends sensibly and responsibly.

The Minister also noted that 2016 marks the last year when students will receive their Junior Cycle results in their current form. From 2017, under the new Framework for Junior Cycle, students will receive the Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement, with English being the first syllabus to be assessed under the new Framework.

ENDS

Notes to Editor

Junior Cycle Reform:
The new Framework for Junior Cycle has been developed over several years and is now in the process of being implemented on a phased basis. A new subject specification for English was introduced to schools in September 2014 and Junior Cycle students sitting their examinations in June 2017 will be examined in that new specification. From September 2016, new subject specifications in Science and Business are being introduced as Phase 2 of the rollout of Junior Cycle. Through the new Framework for Junior Cycle, students will have better learning opportunities and have a better student-centred experience. Students also have an opportunity to be recognised for a wider set skill of skills and these will be recorded on the new Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement (JCPA) – to equip them for further learning, for work, for responsible and active citizenship, and for healthy living. It gives students better learning opportunities, and rewards and recognises non-academic performance and achievements, with a central focus on the student’s quality of life, wellbeing and mental health.

The new Framework for Junior Cycle is based on the May 2015 agreement between the then Minister and the leaderships of the two main second level unions, ASTI and TUI. On foot of this, TUI members are now fully co-operating with the implementation of the new Framework. The ASTI still has a separate directive of non-cooperation in place with the new Junior Cycle Framework. This is preventing ASTI members from participating in professional development and support for delivering the new subject requirements. It also means that students of ASTI member teachers are currently prevented from completing classroom-based assessments in English.

The Minister for Education and Skills has again reiterated that he wants to engage with ASTI with a view to enabling them to lift their directive to members on non-operation with the new Junior Cycle Framework that is now in place.