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Students may have been required to wear face masks and have daily temperature checks if the Leaving Certificate exams were taken this summer.
The State Examinations Commission revealed the plans in a briefing given to the Minister of Education as part of the deliberations on whether or not to proceed with the exams.
In an assessment of how the summer exams could be conducted, the SEC outlined a schedule in which the exams ran for more than a month, beginning July 29 and running through September 5, with only one exam per day.
He warned that this 32-day schedule carried the risk of “decreasing the attendance of students and school personnel.”
The SEC outlined a complex series of challenges, starting with the fact that students probably would not be able to use public transportation to and from their schools to sit for exams.
He expressed concern that students from disadvantaged backgrounds and those without parental support would be especially affected by this.
The body of the exams painted an image in which students would be scattered sparsely across school buildings, with just 40 students occupying spacious gyms that would, under normal circumstances, house dozens more.
Using the phrase “military precision” he referred to the need for strict queuing systems and movement patterns, routes to mapped centers, as well as staggered arrival times for students. He asked if these measures were “achievable”.
The SEC warned that taking the tests would be “extremely difficult for students, school authorities, and the SEC.”
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He expressed particular concern that, in his opinion, taking the tests would increase anxiety and stress levels “in an already stressed student body.”
In a reference to the potential for students’ anxiety levels to panic, he asked “Could a cough or sneeze (eg, hay fever) interrupt the session?”
In a document seen by RTÉ News, the SEC expressed concern that it would not be possible to guarantee that students maintain strict social distancing.
In a long list of questions, it was “realistic” to expect students not to congregate and mix before and after exams.
“Are measures achievable to avoid critical congregation points in all contexts?” I ask “What if the students mix or there are horse games?”
The document also questioned what would happen if a student or superintendent became ill after an exam had started.
“Can you continue the session?” asks “What about the rest of the exams at that center?”
He asked what arrangements might be possible for students who were unable to attend exams due to grief or illness, and asked if it was realistic to expect to be able to accommodate immunocompromised or at-risk students.
The SEC also warned that attempts to minimize health risks would expose the process to “far greater safety and integrity risks,” and would require “a complete reengineering and reconfiguration of proven methods for the safe distribution of tests to schools and students “.
He also asked if he would be able to employ enough superintendents and assistants for the staff of the complex operation.
He questioned whether older teachers would be available and whether adolescent students who normally work as assistants would withdraw from work, possibly at the wish of their parents.
He questioned what the “additional impact” would be if the public health council were to limit the time he spends in an examination center each day.
The day the government announced the postponement of exams for the summer, the State Examination Commission, in a statement, said it would do everything possible to conduct the exams “as close as possible to normal.”
In this presentation to the minister, less than weeks later, the SEC made no direct recommendation to the minister, but in a revealing comment he concluded (and capitalization is his) “As close to normal as possible is nothing close to normal.” .
The decision to leave the certificate is welcomed by the universities
Dublin City University President Professor Brian MacCraith said the universities welcome the Leaving Cert decisions made on Friday, saying they provide certainty and reduce stress for students.
Speaking to RTÉ in Morning Ireland, he said that the universities trust the calculated grading system and that they are very impressed by the rigor that has been introduced into the model and that we should trust the professionalism of the teachers.
Professor MacCraith also said that large conferences will not be possible when universities are reopened and dual / hybrid mode approaches are examined.
This would involve small tutoring groups but, for at least one semester, “you are talking online” for larger groups.
He said that in the 200-seat tiered theater, there are only 38 usable seats when social distancing is applied.
Professor MacCraith said that the overall college experience for students will change and efforts are being made to optimize the student experience, because it is a big part of the development experience for them.
The President of Maynooth University said the system designed to calculate grades “will serve students well.”
Professor Philip Nolan said that the vast majority of students will be happy that the grades fully reflect their performance and that they move to the third level.
He said an “almost normal” cohort of freshmen is anticipated to begin their studies in late September or early October at the university.
Professor Nolan said having calculated the grades is “absolutely the right decision made at the right time.”
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