Teachers back U.E. campaign?

Press, 11 July 1983, Page 6

Teachers back U.E. campaign?

PA Wellington Secondary school teachers are expected to side with their principals in the campaign to have the University Entrance examination moved to Form 7.

The Post Primary Teachers’ Association president, Mr Des Hinch, said he expected the association’s conference next month to back the principals’ decision to take direct action over the issue.

The principals have voted to not collect fees or supervise next year’s exams. The Minister of Education, Mr Wellington, who wants University Entrance to stay in Form 6, said the decision would not alter his thinking.

Mr Hinch said the association felt it had gone as far as it could with Mr Wellington. “He has shown he is totally determined for the examination structure to stay the same. So, we have no option but to go around him,” he said. If the teachers’ action goes ahead as planned it would mean the University

Entrance Board would have to administer the examination itself.

"We won’t be helping with collecting fees, processing entries or setting up the exam rooms,” Mr Hinch said. “But I imagine the U.E. Board will make every effort to hold the exam.” Mr Hinch said the threat would have no effect on students in the classroom. Teachers did not intend to penalise students in any way.

They would continue to teach the examination syllabus, but pupils would have to enter themselves for the examination.

The purpose of moves by secondary teachers to get the examination taken out of Form 6 — which the association has been fighting for for seven years — was to improve courses for students, not to take steps to punish them, Mr Hinch said.

“In our judgement U.E. is a bad influence on Form 6 students and courses. We are saying, shift it.”