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A school’s previous academic performance has been removed as a factor in calculating Leaving Cert scores for around 61,000 students who were unable to sit for their exams this year due to Covid-19.
Expected teacher grades will now carry more weight under the changes to the Leaving Cert grading scheme this year.
The Department of Education submits all estimated grades submitted by schools through a series of checks and balances, and the past performance of a school was originally set for consideration.
Education Minister Norma Foley has decided not to use the controversial method of taking a school’s past academic performance into account to award grades, following the practice that sparked a backlash in the UK when A-level results were released. .
Former education advisor John Walsh says there will still be a standardization process: “We do not fully trust the predicted teacher ratings, a standardization process will still be used, it just won’t take into account the same scope as grades obtained in previous years. “.
“Obviously it will be seen in the Junior Certificate, that is a good indication, it will also take into account other factors, I mean gender.”
Inflated grades
The new method is expected to result in an inflated grade and increase demand for certain college courses.
Social Democrats education spokesman Gary Gannon says many students will benefit: “There were no really clear guidelines given to teachers in April when this was announced.
“It is quite possible that some teachers have been more generous than other teachers. No one is going to lie, but there may be a bit of an exaggeration of the truth across the spectrum. “
With less than a week left for Leaving Cert results to be issued, Cabinet must today approve the algorithm for determining grades and a plan that will increase the number of available college places.
Higher Education Minister Simon Harris said he hoped that places could be increased on the way to today’s meeting: “I am working with government colleagues to see if we can specifically increase the number of university places available. .
“It is good to try to get more people access to education, but I also think it would be a good dividend in support of the aftermath of Covid.”
Both the Minister of Education and the Minister of Higher Education will provide an update on the issues this afternoon.
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