Sir, – Joan Kelly (Letters, March 21st) points out that being granted full marks for the Irish oral component of the Leaving Certificate guarantees that all who take part will pass the exam. This is true, and furthermore all will be honestly able to claim in their CVs that they obtained first place in the country, in their various oral and practical exams – even if it was joint first place, along with all the other candidates. I'd like to be the first to congratulate them on their achievement. – Yours, etc,
BRIAN O’BRIEN,
Kinsale,
Co Cork.
Sir, – The Minister for Education’s decision on oral and practical work is a welcome bit of leadership. It will buy some breathing space for students while they learn to cope with online and remote learning from home. It may well be that further decisions will be needed that will address concerns about equity of treatment, particularly given differences in the percentage value of oral and practical work between subjects. But at least some pressure has been reduced on students.
It is important that the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment also demonstrates leadership and empathy with Junior Cert students and cancels the remainder of this year’s classroom-based assessments (CBAs) which are now meaningless but still a source of anxiety for students. – Yours, etc,
PETER LYDON,
Clondalkin,
Dublin 22.