It will not be possible to run a hybrid model for this year’s Leaving Cert, according to the State Examination Commission.
The Irish Times reports that the exams body told education partners this week that calculated or accredited grades cannot be taken into account due to the cancellation of the Junior Cert in 2020.
It means there is no objective data available to calculate grades for students who never sat their Junior Cert and then skipped transition year.
The Commission is preparing to run both the Junior and Leaving Certs as planned this summer, with a number of contingency plans in place.
These are expected to include more choice on exam papers and two rounds of exams to ensure anyone who catches COVID or is forced to self-isolate is still able to complete their Leaving Cert.
Meanwhile, Labour’s education spokesperson Aodhán Ó Ríordáin is calling on the Education Minister to decide what form the exams will take this week.
“Orals and the practical exams are happening in a very short period of time and yet, teachers are out – they are out with COVID or because they are close contacts.
“Students are out, they are close contacts or they have COVID. It is an intolerable situation. COVID is still causing havoc with this school year and I think the minister needs to acknowledge that and make an early decision.
“An early decision means this week.”
He said a Labour Party petition for a hybrid model has already garnered over 5,000 signatures.
📢ISSU SURVEY ON COVID-19 IN SCHOOLS & THE STATE EXAMINATIONS 2022 IS NOW OPEN!!!📢
Visit:🔗 https://t.co/ydGiyNkUKh
This survey has questions regarding the return to school, your experience being back or staying at home in isolation. 📝🏫#ISSUSurvey #ISSU4U #Safety4Students pic.twitter.com/M5sa5Pz6jV— Irish Second-Level Students' Union (ISSU) (@issu4u) January 7, 2022
Yesterday, the Irish Second-Level Students' Union's criticising the decision to proceed with traditional state exams, saying it shows "a complete disregard for students".
Students Kacper Bogalecki from Killarney and Denis Lynch from Meath told Newstalk there has been a lot of disruption to contend with in the run up to Leaving Cert 2022.
“It is fair to say that there were accommodations made back at the beginning of the academic year but since then we have had many further disruptions that have happened,” said Kacper.
“Going back to a traditional Leaving Cert is not fair to a lot of students who have lost time because they have had COVID or they have been close contacts or their teacher hasn’t been able to be in,” said Denis.
