Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 July 2020
553. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Education and Skills her engagement with an organisation (details supplied) in the week prior to the announcement on 21 July 2020 of the delay in leaving certificate results. [19152/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs part of planning for the State examinations, my Department established an advisory group of stakeholders, including representatives of students, parents (National Parents Council Primary and Post-Primary), teachers, the management and leadership of schools, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, the State Examinations Commission, and officials of my Department, including the National Educational Psychological Service. A representative of the Higher Education Authority also attends all meetings of the Advisory Group as an observer.
Among the terms of reference for this group are:
- To enable all examination candidates to be enabled to demonstrate their learning achievements to their best ability despite the disruption to their learning caused by the Covid-19 crisis
- All Leaving Certificate (LC) candidates to receive a fair recognition for their learning achievements so that they will be able to use their LC grades to seek entry to higher or further education or the world of work in autumn 2020
Meeting documentation and agreed minutes of these meetings are published on my Department’s website. The group last met on Tuesday, 21 July, and I attended that meeting.
Officials from my Department were in contact with key stakeholders, including the group mentioned, in advance of my announcement on 16 July regarding next steps for this year’s Leaving Certificate students. Further details regarding these steps were discussed at the advisory group meeting of 21 July.
