The Leaving Cert written exams this summer have been cancelled.
Students will have the option to sit them at a later date or accept a predicted grade.
Teachers will provide a score for each subject and it’ll have to be approved by the school principal.
The Department of Education will then make sure there’s an even national spread before students get their results.
There are mixed reactions from Tipperary Leaving Cert students.
It had been originally said that the state exams could be held two months later than usual, but effective social distancing was a major road block to the plan.
Orla Cornally is hoping to study law at UL – she is opposed to the use of predictive grades:
“We know the mocks get leaked every year – every student and teacher in the country knows that so, if they’re included, people who didn’t actually study for the mocks and probably cheated are going to get higher grades. than the people who actually studied for them.
“And then, it involves the teachers. There is a reason that we get an exam number every year and your examiner doesn’t know who you are. That’s a big concern if you don’t get along with your teacher. Or if you get along really well with your teacher, they could be giving you grades that you wouldn’t actually be capable of getting.
“That’s a fear as well.”
However Dylan McLaughlin is one of the Tipp Leaving Cert students who is in favour of the exams being cancelled this year:
“We should trust our government and our Department of Education that they will hopefully make the right decision. The pressure since last weekend that the government have come under… they have to change, they have to come up with something else.
“The last ISSU survey has shown that 78.6% of the c. 23,500 students surveyed wanted predicted grades. We’re finally actually being listened to.
“I know it’s not ideal and I know everyone doesn’t want predicted grades but a fair chunk of students do.”
