Education Minister Helen McEntee is bringing forward major changes to the Leaving Certificate examination system today, presenting the reform package to Cabinet. The plan will significantly alter how students are assessed, with 40 percent of marks in all subjects to be allocated to practical examinations and year-long projects rather than final written exams. The government … Read more
Negotiations between post-primary teacher unions and Education Minister Helen McEntee regarding proposed changes to the Leaving Certificate examination system have concluded, with the outcome now heading to a membership vote. Both major teaching unions—the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) and the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI)—will present the minister’s latest proposals on senior cycle … Read more
Today marks a significant milestone for over 62,700 Irish students as they eagerly await their Leaving Certificate results. This year sees the highest number of candidates ever to sit the exams, adding extra excitement to an already nerve-wracking day. Results will be available online at 10am through the Candidate Portal, with many students opting to … Read more
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 … Read more
Minister for Education Norma Foley TD has confirmed that the date the State Examinations Commission intends to issue the Leaving Certificate 2023 results is Friday, 25 August 2023. Minister Foley said: “The SEC has confirmed to me that it intends to issue Leaving Certificate results this year on 25 August. This is a significant and … Read more
Plans for students to sit half their Irish and English Leaving Cert papers at the end of fifth year have been shelved following stiff opposition from teachers and students. The move, which was made last year, was the first of several envisioned adjustments to overhaul the Senior Cycle. The Irish Examiner reports that Minister for … Read more
The Leaving Certificate results for the next year will probably again be delayed. The results will be postponed for a fourth consecutive year. First-year students entering third-level colleges will begin their courses later, according to a report published on Thursday in The Irish Independent. Aodhán Rordáin, the education spokesperson for Labour, urged students to begin … Read more
More than 67,000 students will receive their eagerly awaited Junior Cycle exam results later today, five months after the exams were taken. The usual two-month wait for students to receive their grades has now lasted four months. Moreover, they were the first students since the Covid pandemic exam cancellation in 2019 to take the entire … Read more
In his speech to the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis, Micheál Martin has said the Leaving Cert has to be reformed and has warned some price rises in recent months will be permanent. According to the Irish Examiner, in his closing address, he addressed Covid-19, health, housing, education, cost of living, climate, culture, and identity. He … Read more
Around 500 Leaving Certificate students had their Irish oral examinations postponed this weekend due to examiners being unable to attend because of high levels of Covid in society. The State Examinations Commission (SEC) said “deferring these examinations at short notice is a necessary step due to the high rates of Covid-19 in society”. Seven different … Read more
Plans for major reform of the Leaving Certificate have been hailed as “a momentous move” by the Children’s Rights Alliance. The alliance welcomed an announcement from the Department of Education of plans to overhaul subject curricula, aiming to reduce reliance on final exams and move towards increased teacher-based assessment. It said the proposed reforms, informed … Read more
Following a Government decision today, Minister for Education Norma Foley TD has announced extensive changes to the state examinations for 2022, following a meeting of the advisory group on state examinations this morning. To take into account the disruption to teaching and learning experienced by the Leaving Certificate class of 2022, extensive changes will be … Read more