Taoiseach Michael Martin issued an important update on the Leaving Cert in an appearance on RTE’s Late Late Show on Friday night.
He said the possibility of a hybrid Leaving Cert has not yet been ruled out and that a decision will be made by the Government in the next two or three weeks.
The Taoiseach also said that there would be “a wider choice” of questions on the Leaving Cert papers as students sitting the exam this year will have faced many disruptions with schooling over the pandemic.
Speaking to Ryan Tubridy on the chat show about a hybrid Leaving Cert, Mr Martin said: “We’re not ruling it out entirely.”
“But the Minister will engage again with the [education] stakeholders and has been talking to the parents.
“Students are coming back with a survey because many students want to do the Leaving Cert itself. [A hybrid Leaving Cert] creates its own challenges.
“The pandemic is wartime, we’re hoping to move out of wartime.”
He continued: “We are making adjustments to the exam and accommodations will be made, and there will be wider choices within the papers.
“[This is] because of the fact that in fifth year these students would have lost time and in sixth year it hasn’t exactly been plain sailing.
“On the other hand a lot of grade inflation comes with it too. Pressure comes on the third level system also and we’ve got to watch that because the last two years we’ve squeezed the lemon in terms of third year [institutions] getting more places.”
He said that Leaving Cert students could expect to hear a decision on the format of their exams in the next two or three weeks as he wants to give them “certainty”.
In the segment, Mr Martin said he was confident that schools would not close again due to Covid.
The Taoiseach also said he was feeling optimistic about the situation with Covid “for the first time in months” and he expected decisions to be made on the lifting of restrictions next week.
He also issued a hopeful update for publicans and pub goers alike as he said he hoped the 8pm curfew would be lifted by February if we continue to make progress.
