Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 November 2021
336. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Education the supports that will be in place to support leaving certificate students in 2022 who have lost in-person teaching time due to Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58765/21]
View answerOn 30 June 2021, I announced that adjustments would be made to the 2022 Leaving Certificate and Junior Cycle examinations. Details of these adjustments were issued to schools on 19 August 2021 to ensure that students and staff could familiarise themselves with any changes. These arrangements acknowledge the disruption faced by these students because of the COVID-19 pandemic. I consider that these arrangements are proportionate to the students’ experience and loss of learning, and are educationally appropriate. The adjustments ensure that the overall structure of exams remains intact but allows for greater choice for students. The level of adjustment will be similar to that applied by the Assessment Arrangements For Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate Examinations 2021, as announced in December 2020
As part of the adjustments for the 2022 examinations, I also announced that an alternative set of Leaving Certificate examinations would be run in 2022, shortly after the conclusion of the main set of examinations. These examinations will be limited to certain students who are unable to sit the main set of examinations due to close family bereavement and certain categories of serious illness to be determined, with due regard for the principles of equity, fairness and integrity, which govern all aspects of the examinations system.
