Statement by employers ‘outrageous’

Press, 22 July 1986, Page 14

Statement by employers ‘outrageous’

PA Tlmaru Employer’s Federation statements on the proposed abolition of School Certificate were “outrageous, ” said the national president of the Post Primary Teachers Association, Mr Peter Allen.

The assistant directorgeneral of the Employers’ Federation, Mr Ray Taylor, said that a recommendation to abolish School Certificate was designed for the benefit of teachers, not pupils.

Mr Allen said the statements revealed a “total ignorance of what actually happens in secondary schools.” The removal of School Certificate is among big changes to secondary schooling recommended in a report to the Minister of Education, Mr Marshall. The report is from a committee of inquiry into curricula, assessment and qualifications in Forms 5 to 7.

Mr Allen said he challenged employers to spend a day at a secondary school “and come out of that day saying teachers don’t work hard.”

“And now the new Sixth Form Certificate regime is replacing Univerisity Entrance, teachers and students are working harder than ever.” Mr Allen said the employers’ reaction flew in the face of general opinion that viewed School Certificate as being unfair to many students and responsible for distortions in the system that teachers had been coping with.

“School Certificate does not reflect accurately a student’s achievements. If an employer wants an accurate assessment of a student he would not get it from School Certificate results,” he said.

"This aside, schools were not set up to meet the needs of employers. They were set up to meet the needs of the students,” Mr Allen said. “That is what the P.P.T.A. is concerned about. Removing School Certificate will actually mean a great workload for teachers, but we want to accurately assess a student in every subject at every level in whatever year.”