Leaving Cert students to be given clarity on exams on Tuesday
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said preferred option was hybrid model of calculated grade and written exam
Members of the Cabinet sub-committee on education are meeting on Monday to discuss options regarding the Leaving Certificate.
Mon, 01 Feb, 2021 - 13:30
Paul Hosford, Jess Casey and Cate McCurry
Leaving Certificate students and their families should be given further clarity on Tuesday on how Leaving Certificate exams will be held this year, according to Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney.
Members of the Cabinet sub-committee on education are meeting on Monday to discuss options regarding the Leaving Certificate.
Another option would be calculated grades alone, although Mr Martin has acknowledged there is a will to hold some sort of written exams.
Student leaders have called for choice, and many parents also support a move away from reliance on the conventional exams.
But teacher unions made it clear today that they want to stick with the traditional exams.
Ahead of today’s crucial Cabinet sub committee meeting, the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) reiterated its support for holding the exams, including components such as orals, practicals and projects.
TUI president Martin Marjoram said the union did not believe that a system of calculated grades or similar would reduce stress and anxiety.