Leaving certificate students will be given the option of receiving calculated grades or sitting traditional exams – or both – for individual subjects, the Department of Education has said.
Measures approved by the cabinet education subcommittee today will see calculated grades awarded by the State Examinations Commission, which will be known as SEC-Accredited Grades.
In a press statement, Minister for Education Norma Foley said: “All stakeholders have worked extremely hard to get to this point. I have listened carefully to all, and we have worked together to find solutions. Students and parents have been clear on the need for both clarity and choice which I believe his decision gives them.”
“As requested by the student representatives”, she said, “we explored thoroughly the option of providing the SEC-Accredited Grades to students in advance of the written examinations, but this option is not possible”.
“I am conscious that many students are concerned that they have not covered the full curriculum for their subjects in class, due to the interruption of in-person learning caused by the pandemic.”
The junior certificate exams have been cancelled in favour of classroom-based assessments.
“Everyone wants a system that is fair and that provides the opportunity for real progression for students”, Foley said.
Students will have the option to sit traditional exams or receive individual grades for all or individual subjects, with the higher result being the official result.
The Department of Education has also confirmed that results will be issued within the normal timeframe for both CAO and UCAS offers.
Foley also plans to bring legislation before the Oireachtas to create the necessary legal changes for the new process, RTÉ News reported this evening. It is understood that the legislation will prohibit teachers’ ranking of students from being released and will indemnify schools, teachers and school patrons from legal action regarding results.
The legislation will also ban students from canvassing teachers and will allow the SEC to award the calculated grades.
The leaving certificate timetable will be published by the Department of Education tomorrow.
Earlier this year, the government committed to having leaving certificate students return to the physical classroom three days a week, but quickly rowed back on this decision after backlash from students and teachers.
