Skip to main content
Normal View

State Examinations

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 March 2021

Wednesday, 10 March 2021

Questions (499)

John Paul Phelan

Question:

499. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Education if measures will be taken for the leaving certificate 2021 to accommodate the needs of students repeating the exams from 2020 that take cognisance of the fact that the 2020 and 2021 academic years have been extraordinary in the context of all previous academic years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12814/21]

View answer

Written answers

On 17 February, I confirmed that Leaving Certificate 2021 examinations will proceed and students will also have the alternative option of applying for grades accredited by the State Examinations Commission (SEC), to be known as SEC-Accredited Grades.

This decision followed intensive engagement with education stakeholders bilaterally and through the Planning for State Examinations 2021 Advisory Group and sub-group.

This decision ensures for every student a method to assess their learning and attainment at the end of their post-primary education and to progress to higher and further education, and the world of work.

Putting in place both the examination and a corresponding measure of SEC-Accredited Grades is essential to ensuring a fair system, having regard to the extraordinary circumstances of the pandemic and the loss of learning that has occurred for this group of students due to the interruption of in-person teaching and learning during the periods of school closure.

Under the SEC-Accredited Grades process, students will have the opportunity to opt to receive an SEC-Accredited Grade. They can also opt to sit the Leaving Certificate Examination. Students will opt into these processes on a subject by subject basis. Where students opt for SEC-Accredited Grades and the examinations they will be credited with the better of their results from the two processes, on a subject by subject basis.

Last August, I announced a series of changes that would be made to assessment arrangements for both Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate examinations for 2021. This announcement was accompanied by a published document detailing these changes, Assessment Arrangements for Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate Examinations 2021, and forms part of the Roadmap for the Full Return to School. On 21 December 2020, my Department published an updated version of the publication which includes clarifications in relation to a number of subjects.

These arrangements are designed to take account of the disrupted learning experienced by students during the 2019/20 school year and to factor in for some further possible loss of learning time in the 2020/21 school year as a contingency measure. As the loss of learning through school closures affects students’ engagement with their course of study in different ways, the adjustments put in place play to students’ strengths by leaving intact the familiar overall structure of the examinations, while incorporating additional choice. The adjustments were arrived at through discussions between my Department, the State Examinations Commission (SEC), the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) and key stakeholders.

These changes to the national assessment arrangements were made with due regard for the principles of equity, fairness and integrity, as these principles apply to assessment and examinations and refer to student to-student, subject-to-subject, and year-to-year comparisons over time. The changes provide reassurance to students, their parents/guardians, teachers and schools.

The State Examinations Commission also advised schools in December of flexibility being provided for schools and students in the arrangements for the completion and authentication of coursework. The State Examinations Commission provided an update in relation to the arrangements for the delivery of the Leaving Certificate examinations, including an update in relation to coursework, following the announcement by the Government on Wednesday 17 February. That circular is available at https://www.examinations.ie/misc-doc/EN-EX-94915644.pdf

In addition to the adjustment to the assessment arrangements for the examinations previously communicated to schools, further adjustments will be made to the written papers. These further adjustments will aim to reduce the load on students, leaving intact the general overall structure of the written examination papers. In the majority of cases these adjustments will involve reducing the number of questions that students will be required to answer. The duration of the examinations will remain the same as set out in the published timetable, thus providing students with additional time to read the paper and answer the required number of questions.

Further subject-by-subject information in relation to these adjustments will be issued by the SEC in the week of 22 March.

Top
Share