‘Place your trust in the process,’ says principal
THE Principal of a Wexford school has asked Leaving Cert students and their parents to place their trust in teachers as the new ‘calculated grades’ system takes shape.
Billy O’Shea is the Principal of the Loreto Secondary School in Wexford town, and he was ‘at pains’ to allay the fears of those concerned about the fairness of the new grading system.
‘I would say to students and parents that there’s no need to panic. There will be checks and balances in the new process, no one teacher can go off on a solo run with this. I’d be at pains to point that out,’ said Mr O’Shea.
‘After the first grading there will be two internal checks within the school, and then a further check at department level before the grade is finalised.’
And under the circumstances, Mr O’Shea believes the Department of Education was left with little choice but to act as it did.
‘We’re in uncharted waters, it’s an emergency situation and it required a response clearly different to anything which has went before. However, this new process is guided by a lot of expertise, both in the Department, in the schools, and the many bodies within the unions,’ said Mr O’Shea.
‘I would ask that students and parents place their trust in the people and in the process. People have said this new system is far from perfect, but I would argue the traditional Leaving Cert is also far from perfect.
‘The alternative would have been a nightmare, opening the schools for two weeks would have been very problematic, logistically and in terms of health risks.
The Principal of St Peter’s College echoed these sentiments, saying last Friday’s announcement had been met with ‘palpable relief’ by staff and students.
Describing the outcome as the ‘fairest solution for all’, Mr Robert O’Callaghan believes the new system will not hugely alter the roles of teachers.
‘On a day-to-day basis the wellbeing of students is the primary concern of the teachers, so this doesn’t change that. And I don’t anticipate the new system placing any additional onus on our teachers.’