An attempt to replace many written elements of the Junior Certificate examination with assessment by teachers got a mixed welcome when launched by the Minister for Education and Science yesterday.
It came in the form of a discussion document on which there will be wide consultation over the next six months. But Mr Martin left no doubt yesterday as to where he stands on the issue.
The use of an "all or nothing" written exam to measure the performance of students failed to take account of many of the "competencies" of those students. It was unfair to students whose strengths lay outside the written and verbal area, he added.
Proposing a combination of assessment by teachers and external written examinations, he said this dual process would produce "an overall portfolio of what the student has achieved."
Teacher assessment would also benefit subjects such as science, he said. "If they do not get to delve into the practical areas of science, it may not appeal to them to take it up later."
The Minister said he expected the consultation process to take about six months. The document is to be sent to schools and 75 schools will be randomly selected to take part in consultations.
The public will also be invited to submit opinions.
The Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) was quick to pour cold water on a move towards teacher assessment.
"The ASTI is convinced that it is of vital importance that the Junior Certificate examination is retained as an external examination which fosters sustained and balanced learning among pupils aged 15/16," it declared in a statement from its president, Ms Bernardine O'Sullivan, and its general secretary, Mr Charlie Lennon.
It would give consideration to the document, it said, "on the basis that national external certification has a status and currency which retains the confidence of parents, teachers and the wider community. The ASTI reiterates that it is opposed to teachers providing marks for their own pupils for State certification."
It is believed that it is this last objection that is at the heart of ASTI's concerns.
In contrast, the Teachers' Union of Ireland gave a positive response to the Minister's views - but made it clear its members will want more money to operate a new system.
"We are concerned at the decline in resource-demanding subjects such as the sciences and the technological subjects," said TUI president Mr Joe Carolan.
"The new syllabuses in such areas must be brought in as quickly as possible to allow appropriate assessment. TUI has no ideological objection to school-based assessment provided its four key demands are put in place, i.e., time to carry out the assessment, training, appropriate remuneration, external monitoring."
Asked about pay at yesterday's press conference, the Minister said, "Other issues are issues for discussion down the road."
Commenting on the Junior Certificate results, which showed a decline of about 13 per cent in students getting a grade C or above in ordinary and foundation-level Irish in the past two years, the Minister said: "Some students have lost the language and the language has lost them,"
Part of the problem, he believed, was students had a "fear" of Irish. Some did not write down any answers at all in Irish in their examination papers.
Irish was one example of how the present way of assessing students was failing to measure "real competency."
At ordinary level, he said, the aim should be to enable students to like and enjoy Irish. But it should be part of the core curriculum because "it's a core part of public policy, it is part of what we are as a people."
The Minister had earlier announced that he is to set up an expert group to establish why the performance of Junior Certificate students in Irish is declining.