Higher education institutions are autonomous bodies and as such are academically independent and are entitled to regulate their own academic affairs and administrative processes. Therefore responsibility for examinations and assessments rests ultimately with each individual institution.
The national co-ordination group for tertiary education, which includes representatives from my Department and third level institutions, is meeting regularly to discuss key issues in the tertiary sector including issues around examinations and assessments.
In providing guidance for higher education providers to return to learning safely for the 2020/21 academic year, my Department published a three-pillar guidance framework, consistent with public health requirements. This included an adaptation framework to assist institutions to continuously adapt to meet the challenges posed by this pandemic.
Though HEIs are planning for a phased and incremental increase in face to face learning on campus for some priority groups in Semester 2, for the remainder of this semester on campus activity is prioritised for essential learning and activities including mandatory skills, practical, mandatory training and assessment. Further and higher education institutions should continue to deliver the majority of their classes online. Given the scale and diversity within third-level provision, higher and further education institutions will be equipped to determine in which circumstances onsite presence is required.
My Department has been informed by LYIT that nursing students are assessed in accordance with the NMBI approved course schedule and curriculum. This includes facilitation of pre-Christmas examinations for Year 2 and Year 4 student nurses in advance of clinical placement commencing 28 December (for Year 4) and 4 January (for Year 2) respectively. Both these student year cohorts are going on clinical practice placements and starting internships (Year 4). Each cohort of students will have one examination online and this can be completed remotely, off campus with the remaining two written examinations over two days, to ensure that those travelling will only require one overnight stay. Any students who have any mitigating or extenuating circumstances will be afforded the opportunity to defer without disadvantage or prejudice to Autumn 2021 and to progress on clinical practice placements as planned. Special accommodation has been arranged for any student who has requested or indicated any such mitigating or extenuating circumstances.
My Department has been further informed by LYIT that written examinations were scheduled in line with curriculum module assessments as they could not be scheduled after clinical placements commenced in January 2021. Students will then be in different HSE Clinical settings through Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim. Therefore, it would not be in accordance with best practice or NPHET guidelines to request students to return for assessments once placement commenced. Furthermore, this cohort of Year 4 student nurses will be paid employees of the HSE as intern nurses from January to August 2021 and unable to attend for examination during their internship.
LYIT is confident that written assessment can proceed adhering to HSE and NPHET guidelines respecting social distancing and examination regulations and guidelines. The examinations will be conducted in a controlled setting adhering to strict guidelines.
