Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
A-levels and GCSES will go ahead: Weir
THE Education Minister has ruled out cancelling A-levels and GCSES because it would “increase” students’ anxiety.
Peter Weir is under mounting pressure after Children’s Commissioner Koulla Yiasouma called for the tests to be axed over fears for students’ mental health.
Her call came on the same day Wales announced it would use assessment-based grades for 2021, leaving Northern Ireland and England as the only jurisdictions where exams are set to go ahead.
Mr Weir said: “Children’s wellbeing is fundamentally important and central to all I do. However, cancelling exams at present will increase rather than decrease our young people’s stress and anxiety.
“If exams are cancelled, schools will need to build a strong body of evidence and work if they are to award grades. How would such a system possibly decrease pressure on young people “
UUP education spokesman Robbie Butler said the minister should heed Ms Yiasouma, who is supported by Mental Health Champion Siobhan O’neill and the Secondary Students’ Union.
People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll added it was “the only decent thing to do”, while Sinn Fein’s Karen Mullan urged Mr Weir to reveal his contingency plan for 2021, warning other jurisdictions were “way ahead”.
Ulster Teachers’ Union president Stephen Mccord added: “We have many of our members reporting students in exam years who are experiencing the added impact of isolation, illness and even at times staff absence.
“All of these things are having an impact on the health and wellbeing of our young people. Examinations are stressful enough without the uncertainty.”
The National Association of Head Teachers said cancelling exams must be considered and called for “urgent, concrete contingency planning”.