Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 July 2020
405. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the leaving certificate results and CAO offers can be issued on the same day in recognition of the already high levels of stress endured by the 2020 leaving certificate students. [17018/20]
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. 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.
The results of the Calculated Grades will issue on Mon 7th September which, given the need for robust quality assurance procedures, is as close to the traditional date of release of Leaving Certificate results as is achievable. The means by which the results will be communicated to the students will be discussed with education stakeholders over the coming weeks and will be advised to students in advance.
It is expected that first round of CAO offers will issue on 11th September. The CAO’s process of calculated points and generating first round offers takes some time, and in order to release Calculated Grades results and CAO offers simultaneously the release of Calculated Grades would have to be delayed. The decision was made to release the results of Calculated Grades when they are available, with a gap of four days before the release of CAO first round offers.
Higher education institutions are autonomous with regard to management of their academic affairs including admissions procedures. The CAO process applications for undergraduate, and some postgraduate, courses on behalf of the HEIs. Decisions on admissions are made by the HEIs who then instruct the CAO to make offers to successful candidates. As such, neither I nor my Department have any role in relation to the timing of CAO offers.
