Parents, teachers and students alike have all been calling for clarity on the matter for several weeks now.
While ministers maintained that traditional Leaving Cert exams would go ahead as planned this year, it’s since emerged that the Cabinet Education Sub-Committee has today signed off on a proposal to give students a choice between sitting written exams or opting for calculated grades instead.
Commenting that there are “no plans to delay the written exams”, a source told The Irish Times that exams are likely to start on June 9th. It’s also believed that oral, practical and other performance assessments will go ahead in the coming weeks – albeit in a different format.
Commenting on the decision, Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris said that government want to offer students choice and certainty on the matter.
Exact details on how grades will be calculated are expected to take several more days to finalise. Junior Cert exams will be cancelled outright.
🚨 Leaving Cert students to have option of written exam or calculated grade in each subject.
Junior Cert exam cancelled.
Announcement coming this evening.#Covid19ireland #LeavingCert
— Richard Chambers (@newschambers) February 17, 2021
It’s understood that the Education Minister is now briefing teaching unions, while an official government announcement is expected on the matter sometime this evening.
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