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To raise awareness about the negative effect that the Junior Cycle grading system is having on students and teachers. We also aimed to push for change in this system in 3 ways - push for the creation of a new grade band, fight for students to have immediate access to their percentages achieved in each subject and also allow students automatic access to their corrected papers. As it stands, the system is not fit for purpose and is not empowering students to make educated and informed decisions with regards to senior cycle subject options.
Our Social Issue
Take a Stand, Change the Band. The issue which we as a class have chosen to address is the current Junior Certificate grading system which we feel is extremely unfair and not in the best interests of students and teachers. With our project we aimed to see if it was just us in our class who felt strongly about this issue or if the concern was a widespread or national issue.
Why We Chose It
This issue affects over 60000 students and many thousands of teachers each year. This system was introduced on a sliding basis from 2017 with all subjects now assessed using this system. The government are currently overhauling the LC and our big fear is that similar mistakes will be made with this grading structure. Clarity and transparency are needed for the JC to allow students to make informed and logical decisions regarding their choice of LC subjects. We are doing this for our younger siblings, our teachers and maybe even our own children!
Our Goal
Our objective is to highlight the levels of dissatisfaction among students and teachers with the current JC grading system. The grade brackets are too broad, students have no idea of the grade they have achieved in each subject and have very limited access to corrected scripts. We want to show the power of the student voice to affect change and highlight to the minister just how detrimental this current system is. We would like a new grand band introduced, have students receive their percentage in each subject and have immediate access to their corrected scripts.
Our Innovative Action
We have created, sent out and analysed surveys to students and teachers across the country We have ran focus groups of students and teachers We have pitched to YSI Den and received almost 1300€ We have conducted 3 radio interviews We have had meetings with two TDs We have had 2 local newspaper articles and one national article We have an active social media (Instagram) account which is updated daily We have designed T-shirts, wristbands, posters and stickers with our logos We have had fun and gained a massive amount of confidence in ourselves
Our Impact
Between our social media posts, newspaper articles and radio appearances, we believe we have reached well over 100,000 people in some way. We have started conversations and we have asked people to look closely at a system which people had just accepted as being an unchangeable entity. We are also trying to show people the importance of the student voice and how with determination and hard work, that anything is possible. Our planned workshops for primary schools and cspe classes are going to revolve around this important message.