Mock exam paper supplier cancels orders to comply with Government restrictions
The National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals noted the decision but said mock exams are not likely to be at the forefront of students minds at present
One of the country s biggest suppliers of mock exam papers has said it will not supply papers this year. Students sitting the Leaving Cert exam. File picture: Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland
Mon, 11 Jan, 2021 - 20:05
Cianan Brennan
One of Ireland’s largest suppliers of mock exam papers for Junior and Leaving Certificate students will not provide sample papers in 2021.
Dublin-based DEB Exams said it had taken the decision not to produce any papers this year in order “to fully comply with the latest Government announcements regarding Covid-19 and tighter level 5 restrictions”.
The Department of Education should abandon the Junior Certificate this year and concentrate on getting the Leaving Certificate ‘done properly’, a leading education expert has said.
The ‘time-consuming token nonsense’ of classroom-based assessments should also be shelved in the pandemic, according to Kevin Williams, a research fellow at DCU, author and former president of the Educational Studies Association of Ireland.
His intervention comes after Education Minister Norma Foley was forced into a U-turn this week on plans for exam year students to attend school three days a week. When the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland (ASTI) and Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) both directed their members to not cooperate with the in class Leaving Cert. plan Minister Foley was forced to back down.
Home School Hub returns from next week
Updated / Friday, 8 Jan 2021
17:27
Curriculum-based learning and complementary content will increase from next week
RTÉ has announced that it is expanding its educational programmes and resources from next week to help support students, parents and educators.
From Monday 11 January, the Home School Hub (10am) and After School Hub (3.20pm) will return to RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player for three hours daily.
ISL versions of Home School Hub will air on RTÉjr weekdays at 1pm and will also be available on the RTÉ Player.
The ISL programme After School Hub Best Bits will air on Saturdays and Sundays at 6.05pm on RTÉjr from 16 January.