Leaving Cert 2022: Cabinet set to revert to written exams, despite calls to use hybrid model

The Government is set to disregard calls for another hybrid Leaving Cert this year and revert instead to written exams.

Plans to be considered by Cabinet on Tuesday will see the written Leaving Cert proceed, but sources said there would be more choice throughout subjects so students can demonstrate what they have covered across two disrupted years of education.

Government sources said on Monday evening that the students would not be disadvantaged by recent grade inflation, arguing that grade profile will be maintained at the same level as last year.

One source said it was impossible to run a hybrid model without Junior Cert data for one in four Leaving Cert students.

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The Government had planned to use school profiling in 2020 when Leaving Cert exams were first replaced by a system based on teachers’ estimates.

However, it dropped the plan following opposition claims this could penalise students attending school in disadvantaged areas.

While additional choice in questions in the forthcoming State exams were announced last August, officials have been exploring ways of going further due to the level of Covid-related disruption which has occurred since.

Students have repeatedly called for another hybrid Leaving Cert on the basis that many have experienced significant disruption to their studies due to the pandemic.

On Monday, president of the Irish Second-level Students’ Union Emer Neville told RTÉ News that she was unaware of any impending announcement but expressed the hope that one would be made before the majority of students sat their mock exams.

“We actually haven’t heard much at all in relation to a decision. We are hoping that we will hear something this week. Students are heading into their mock exams this week and next and they are facing a lot of pressure as they don’t know what way their exams are going.

“All we know is that the mocks that they sit might not reflect the actual Leaving cert that they are going to sit.

“That’s putting additional stress on the students and what we are really hoping now is that they will have some sort of clarity before they start their exams.

Ms Neville contested the suggestion that the number of students who did not complete a normal Junior Cert made a hybrid leaving cert this year impossible, insisting that students had been assured that the grades they had been awarded were meaningful when they had received certificates to say they had done the junior Cert.

“I think we could be looking at other options for this. Why do we have to use the Junior Cert? Why could we not go for an national average or look at putting in other measures that might work.

“I’m not an expert on standardisation but I do think we need to be broadening what we are looking at and make sure we are looking at all options to be fair on students.”