In spite of the Covid pandemic’s continued impacts, a record 135,033 pupils are beginning their Leaving Cert and Junior Cycle examinations today.
A mandatory five-day absence from the exam site is required for any applicant who has Covid starting on the day of their first symptom.
However, the public health advice is that students who only have nasal symptoms, such as a runny nose or a sneeze, but otherwise feel well, should attend for the exam.
Exams have been modified again this year to take account of pandemic-related disruption to education.
Meanwhile, marks awarded to candidates will be adjusted to ensure no “cliff-edge” fall from Covid-era grade inflation, although some drop in overall results is expected.
With perhaps a small number of exceptions, it will be the first time the Leaving Cert candidates have sat a state exam, because of the cancellation of Junior Cycle tests in 2020 and 2021.
The number of Leaving Cert candidates is up marginally on last year, to 63,539, although there has been a fall from 60,210 to 59,727, in those entered for the traditional Leaving Cert.
There has been a significant 20pc year-on-year increase to 3,812 students entered for the Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA), a more practical and vocationally-oriented programme.
Meanwhile, Junior Cycle exam candidate numbers are up 5pc on last year, to 71,494, reflecting population trends.
Delivery of the state exams is a massive logistical exercise involving the secure distribution of 8,000 strong boxes containing four million exam papers, to more than 800 schools and other centres.
The overall costs, including State Examinations Commission (SEC) staff and administration, is almost €96m.
The exams will be conducted in 5,697 main centres – schools generally have more than one – and a record 9,000 special centres as the number of students seeking accommodations continues to grow.
Circumstances where a special centre is established include where a student needs reading assistance, a scribe or a tape recorder, or where a candidate has to sit an exam in hospital.
While the number of accommodations for this year is not finalised, last year there were 30,010 granted to 24,846 students, almost 19pc of all candidates, up from 17pc in 2019.
Among the new accommodations this year is a pilot scheme for read-only digital (PDF) versions of exam papers for Leaving Cert candidates who are visually impaired.
A second sitting of the Leaving Cert will run from June 29 to July 15, for students who are absent during the main exam period because of a serious medical condition, a close family bereavement or Covid.
This year, the rules are being extended to allow candidates who suffer an extreme medical emergency, such as an epileptic seizure, during an exam, to resit next month.
Leaving Cert results will issue on August 25, a week earlier than last year, but still later than the pre-Covid traditional mid-August release.
The continuing late release of results is attributed to the marking adjustment, the second sitting and challenges recruiting examiners, although the SEC says examiner supply is “much better” than last year.
Extending her best wishes to students, Education Minister Norma Foley assured candidates that “the hard work is done and will stand to you over the days and weeks ahead”.
Courtesy: Independent.ie