Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 July 2020
111. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the guidance that can be provided in the situation pertaining to students who only intended to sit one subject in the leaving certificate 2020 and would not have been in a position to avail of the continuous assessment option (details supplied). [16407/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraA system of Calculated Grades was put in place by my predecessor due to the inability to run the normal Leaving Certificate examinations this year. The purpose of this process is to allow as many students as possible to progress to employment, further education and training, or higher education in a way that is fair and equitable to all Leaving Certificate students.
For the calculated grades system to be operated with integrity, an estimated percentage mark, based on credible, satisfactory evidence, can only be accepted from an appropriate source. This is necessary to ensure fairness to all students.
The Calculated Grades Executive Office in my Department has developed a comprehensive guide to calculated grades for out-of-school learners – those students who are studying entirely outside of school – and has contacted each student individually on 25 June to invite them to apply for calculated grades. The closing date for applications was Thursday 2 July 2020 and applications are now being processed.
Section 4.2 of this guide refers to four routes through which out-of-school learners may be provided with an estimated percentage marks based on credible, satisfactory evidence from an appropriate source. Route 4 provides specifically for students repeating one or more subjects, having initially sat the examinations in 2018 or 2019, who engaged in tuition with a teacher or tutor. In such cases the principal of this school, following collaboration with the tutor, may be satisfied that there is sufficient credible evidence to allow him or her sign off on an estimated percentage mark.
Despite every effort being made by schools and by the Department of Education, to provide calculated grades to as many students as possible, there will be a small number of cases where there is no credible evidence to support a calculated grade in a particular subject. To attempt to give a calculated grade in such cases would be unfair to all other candidates.
Such students will have an opportunity to sit the Leaving Certificate examinations when it is safe to do so.
No decisions have been issued by the Calculated Grades Executive Office in respect of any of students studying independently, to date.
My Department has continued to engage with third level stakeholders regarding the Calculated Grades process for students seeking to progress to Higher Education. This has resulted in an agreed common approach in relation to students who have not been able to obtain calculated grades in one or more subjects. Students who have applied for a calculated grade, with a view to satisfying matriculation/basic minimum entry requirements and for whom the Department has been unable to award a Calculated Grade in the subject(s), will be granted an exemption in the subject(s) solely for matriculation/basic minimum entry purposes. The CGEO will notify the Central Applications Office (CAO) of any student who cannot be provided with calculated grades, and of the subjects involved, and the exemption from matriculation/basic minimum entry will be granted automatically by the CAO. The subject(s) for which exemption is granted will not attract points and the exemption cannot be used to satisfy additional prog
