The Government's decision not to offer Leaving Certificate students a choice of written exams and accredited grades is an appalling one, the Sinn Féin Leader has told the Dáil.
"Fairness is the victim in all this," Mary Lou McDonald said as she appealed to the Taoiseach to do the "fair thing" and give students a choice.
Minister for Education Norma Foley confirmed that this year's Leaving Certificate and Junior Cycle will be held as exams only and said the profile of grades received by students in this year's exams will be similar to that of last year.
Sinn Féin leader @MaryLouMcDonald raises the issue of the Leaving Cert. She says to the Taoiseach, "Government has made the wrong call and I am appealing to you now on behalf of every leaving cert student, to do the fair thing and give students choice." pic.twitter.com/ezk4OJDy7t
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) February 1, 2022
Ms McDonald said these students have had their learning disrupted and calls for a hybrid exam makes sense.
"Indeed in some schools mock exams have been pushed back because students are far behind," she said.
The challenge to deliver a mixed exam were not insurmountable, she added.
Responding, the Taoiseach said students were uppermost in the Government's mind as it reached a decision.
Micheál Martin said it has been a very challenging year for students but an accredited grades systems could not have been applied as fairly as last year.
He said there would be a very wide choice for students in the written exams and the content has been cut by a third.
"I don't think people should understate the adjustment to the papers and to the orals and the practicals," he said.
Taoiseach @MichealMartinTD responds by saying Government wanted to give "clarity" and "certainty" as early as possible for students. | More: https://t.co/Cw3nnw2BIk pic.twitter.com/8HnRpNoZNw
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) February 1, 2022
Former education minister Richard Bruton said it is unfortunate that the country is going back to the outdated Leaving Certificate this year.
He said that efforts must now get under way to ensure there is continuous assessment in place in the senior cycle curriculum.
The Fine Gael TD said this would allow for a hybrid Leaving Certificate to take place in 2023 and beyond.
Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy told the Dáil that the decision over the exams "heaps further disadvantage" on students who were already significantly affected by the absence of broadband when schools were closed.
She said there were many marginalised students and the Government should have made a "genuine effort" to provide choice, via a hybrid option, rather than "tinkering with exam papers".
Soc-Dems co-leader @CathMurphyTD also raises the issue of the Leaving Certificate, "was the hybrid system ever on the table during those consultations?" | More: https://t.co/Cw3nnw2BIk pic.twitter.com/7G7ks3Pitu
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) February 1, 2022
Deputy Murphy said one constituent told her how her child had lost all of their resource hours during the pandemic - hours they would never get back - while there were other students who were "lucky enough" to receive grinds.
Mr Martin said the adjustments signed-off by the Cabinet were "very significant" and would provide a "very wide choice" within the context of written exams.
He said the possibility of a hybrid exam was looked at by Minister Foley and her officials, but they decided it was better to go with a written exam given the "significant changes" which provide more choice to students.
The Taoiseach said the minister's plan dealt with concerns regarding grade inflation, adding that Leaving Cert students in 2022 will not receive lower grades than aggregate.
Solidarity-People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy said that it is "very unfortunate and regrettable that the Government has ploughed ahead with the old-style Leaving Cert".
Speaking on RTÉ's Drivetime, Mr Murphy said: "It means that huge pressure, mental pressure in particular, is going to be loaded on these students, all of whom, had their courses over the past couple of years very significantly disrupted by Covid."
The TD for Dublin south-west said that it is "really unfortunate" that the Government "did not take the opportunity" to make greater changes to the examination process and CAO system, describing it as an "artificial rat race".
Earlier, Labour's education spokesperson said he was devastated for this year's Leaving Cert class who, he said, have suffered a massive amount of disruption to their education.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin said the decision around the exams is an extremely disappointing one from a department that seems to be completely incapable of looking beyond the traditional Leaving Cert format.
He said the department is "welded to the old traditional Leaving Cert" which, he said, that most people think needs radical reform.
Mr Ó Ríordáin said he is absolutely confident that the teaching profession could have found a mechanism that could have produced a hybrid model to ensure students were put at the heart of the discussion.
Sinn Féin's education spokesperson Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire has said the rejection of the hybrid Leaving Cert this year is a "desperate decision".
In a post on Twitter, he said: "Absolutely gutted for Leaving Cert students. The Minister has refused to listen to students, and failed to understand the level of disruption. Tradition should not trump sense or fairness. Will be raising directly with Minister in Dáil tomorrow night."
Reporting Paul Cunningham, Micheál Lehane
