A teachers' union has pulled out of talks on this year's Leaving Cert, leaving exam plans in chaos.
The Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland (ASTI) withdrew from talks with the Department of Education which were looking at ways for exams to go ahead or students to be given calculated grades amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
General Secretary Kieran Christie said the plan being developed, which would see calculated grades in the main and exams filling in assessment gaps, is "unacceptable" and would see students basically preparing for two Leaving Certs.
He said a lack of data would make a "credible" approach to calculated grades "extremely challenging".
He said the scheme being thrashed out "would not provide the meaningful Leaving Certificate experience this cohort of students deserve".
The ASTI said in a statement this evening: "The ASTI has announced it is withdrawing from discussions on the Leaving Cert 2021 pending a guarantee that the talks will focus on the Minister’s stated objectives of planning for examinations and scoping out a corresponding measure.
"The ASTI will continue to engage constructively with the re-opening of schools process."
Mr Christie said: "We entered a process in good faith to explore the position whereby if the Leaving Certificate or elements of it do not go ahead, a fair and credible choice or option would be available to students.
"It is clear to us that the approach being developed would not provide the meaningful Leaving Certificate experience this cohort of students deserve.
"The process is being developed in a manner that would see the Leaving Certificate relegated to a secondary position with Calculated Grades the premier option.
"The lack of data this year would make the delivery of a credible Calculated Grades process extremely challenging.
"Given the widely accepted additional stress that students are currently experiencing, it is extraordinary that the only option being explored is that they would effectively prepare for two versions of a Leaving Certificate rather than one.
"We are calling for the Minister to re-establish the focus of the talks so that a meaningful Leaving Certificate experience is provided to this cohort of students, which they rightly deserve."
