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THE GOVERNMENT HAS expressed hope that a decision on this year’s abandonment certificate can be made next week, but the cabinet did not discuss the issue today.
Ministers had raised hopes that clarity could be brought to the situation today, but those hopes were dashed after a meeting of the Cabinet Subcommittee on Education yesterday.
The Advisory Group tasked with charting a course for the exams met again today with the presence of Education Minister Norma Foley.
The group includes representatives of students, parents, teachers, school leadership and governing bodies, the State Examination Commission (SEC) and the Department of Education.
A government spokesman said this afternoon that there is a desire for this process to move forward so that it can be discussed in the Cabinet next Tuesday.
Students who earned the Leaving Cert this year missed nearly three months of classroom instruction last year and have already missed a month this year, with no set schedule for returning to classroom instruction since Christmas.
Options for the Leaving Cert include taking the exams the traditional way or repeating last year’s calculated grade system. A hybrid model of the two has also been suggested.
Unions have argued that Leaving Cert should go ahead in the traditional way, but several opposition parties have said that an alternative should be found.
Last year, Leaving Cert students received calculated scores in lieu of the traditional exam.
Labor Aodháin Ó Ríordáin TD today expressed frustration that a review of last year’s process has not been completed.
“If that had happened at that time, we would have learned our lessons and would be in a better position to make a decision about what should happen with the Leaving Cert cohort,” Ó Riordain said.
Absolutely nothing has happened in terms of the independent review. Now we are faced with making a decision without information or lessons learned.
He added that his party believes the calculated ratings should be used again.
“The decision must be made now; it is not fair for students to watch the news every day to know what will happen next. We have no idea when they will return to schools, ”he said.
Give each student a calculated grade, and after that, if a student isn’t satisfied with that grading system, they can go back and take a written exam.
Gary Gannon TD of the Social Democrats also said that Leaving Cert should not go ahead and repeated grades should be used again.
“For the last few days there has been talk of a combined option that is offered to students, it is a level of uncertainty,” Gannon added.
“I think calculated grades give students the certainty of what will happen.
Combined options mean that one cohort will take one test and the other cohort of students will take another test. When students return to school, it will be impossible for teachers to teach two different classes, taking different approaches to the Leaving Cert.
“There will also be potential problems on the horizon in the sense of college offerings coming out in the summer, which one will be given more weight?”
Sinn Féin has said that students should be given the option of whether to take their exams.
“If you use calculated ratings, there are fairer ways to check their accuracy. The minister must urgently examine how this will be done. We don’t want to see a repeat of last year: don’t use unfair algorithms or school profiles, said Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire TD.
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“Sinn Féin also believes that it is crucial that students who want to take written Leaving Cert exams have the option to do so.
“The detail of this will be important: what will be the alternative, how will the grades be obtained, the role of teachers in this. I believe that the choice should be without prejudice, so that students can take advantage of the best grade in their CAO ”.
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