The Government’s scrapped plans to replace the Junior Cert with class-based tests in the autumn.
Instead, all students will receive a “certificate of completion” and a report from their teachers on how they’ve done over three years.
It’ll be up to each school to decide if any further assessments – like a project or essay – are needed.
Education Minister Joe McHugh says some students won’t need to do any more work:
“In this difficult time for students I have listened to the very strongly-held and well-articulated views of students, parents and other stakeholders,” Minister McHugh said.
“This decision has been made with the health and well being of students, parents and teachers at the forefront of our thinking.”
Teaching unions the ASTI and TUI have welcomed the move.
The Teachers Union of Ireland says the revised arrangements will bring certainty to worried students, parents and teachers.
The Union’s President, Cahir teacher Seamus Lahart, says teachers are best placed to judge students’ performance.
“The teachers have engaged with these students for the last two years and will have examined them on multiple occasions. So teachers are best placed to put all that together and assess the students, and let the parents know how they have performed in that Junior Cert subject”, said Mr Lahart.
