Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Watchdog’s call to cancel next summer exams
Army are champion test squad at Anfield
THE children’s watchdog has called for A levels and GCSES to be axed over mental health fears.
Children’s Commissioner Koulla Yiasouma said Education Minister Peter Weir should “immediately” cancel summer 2021 exams.
She has the support of the Secondary Students’ Union and Northern Ireland’s Mental Health Champion, Professor Siobhan O’neill.
Ms Yiasouma said she had been shocked by students’
“extreme anxiety” and there was “little evidence” changes to the exam curriculum had helped.
She added:
“The current situation is untenable and the minister must move to protect the health and well-being of our young people.
“My suggestion would be to cancel exams, however if the minister can come up with an alternative that will dramatically alleviate the stress that young people are under as a result of continuous assessments, then I am very willing to listen.”
Ms Yiasouma said students were caught in a constant cycle of assessment. She added: “Schools and young people are working to make sure every assignment and class test is perfect.
“Young people reported being continuously assessed and principals and teachers confirmed they are continuously assessing.
“This means young people are in constant ‘exam stress’ mode, they are suffering mentally and it cannot continue for the rest of the year.” SSUNI president Cormac Savage said dropping exams was the only fair solution.
The A level student had to isolate once - but he knows some who quarantined three times. Cormac said: “The issue isn’t the lost learning from the first lockdown, it’s what we’re losing every day.
“There can be no equity [in exams] this year - some people have had to isolate once, some have isolated three times.
Prof O’neill said young people spoke of “constant anxiety.
She added: “The pressure is immense and over time that’s going to impact on their mental health - even if the exams did go ahead they’re not going to do their best, the results are going to be queried.”
STRESS Kids are feeling the pressure
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