The Government is to make a final decision on the format of this year’s Leaving Certificate next week.
Students and the education sector were expecting a decision this week, but no official position was taken by the Cabinet on Tuesday.
The issue has been moved to next week’s Cabinet meeting to allow for further discussions between the Department of Education and other stakeholders.
On Tuesday, Minister for Education Norma Foley held an online meeting with students, parents, teachers, management bodies and the State Examinations Commission (SEC).
The subgroup was set up to consider issues relating to planning towards the 2021 examinations.
In a statement, a spokesman for the Department of Education said: “Today’s meeting considered the assessment arrangements for the 2021 Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate.
“This included exploration of a number of options for the Leaving Certificate, which sought to take account of the impact of school closures on allowing the examinations to be run in as close a manner as in a normal year.
“The minister thanked the members of the subgroup for their continuing work and ongoing engagement in the efforts to plan for the examinations in 2021.
“A further meeting of the subgroup is planned for later this week.”
It comes as opposition parties call for the Government to make an immediate and final decision on how Leaving Certificate exams will be held later this year.
A number of options are still being considered by the Government, including giving students a choice between calculated grades and written exams.
Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon said that leads to uncertainty for students.
The party said last year’s decision to replace exams with predicted grades should be repeated this year.
“Over the last couple of days there has been talk about a blended option offered to students, it’s such a level of uncertainty,” Mr Gannon added.
“I think calculated grades give students a certainty of what will happen.
“The blended options means that one cohort will be taking one exam and the other cohort of students will be taking another exam. When the students do get back to school it’s going to be impossible for teachers to teach two different classes, taking different approaches to the Leaving Cert.
“There will also be potential problems on the horizon in the sense of college offers going out in the summer – which will be given the greater weight?”
Labour education spokesman Aodhan O Riordain said a decision needs to be made this week.
“it’s time to end the agony for sixth year students “ - @AodhanORiordain
It’s time for the minister to make a decision #LeavingCert2021 pic.twitter.com/uNxwbYEais— The Labour Party (@labour) February 2, 2021
Mr O Riordain also said “absolutely nothing has happened” since the announcement by Ms Foley that an independent review would be held into last year’s Leaving Cert.
In October, she said the Government would establish a non-statutory review of the calculated grades process.
“If that had happened at that time we would have learnt our lessons and be in a better position to make a decision as to what should happen with the Leaving Cert cohort,” Mr O Riordain said.
“Absolutely nothing has happened in terms of the independent review. Now we are faced with making a decision with no information and no lessons having been learned.
“The decision needs to be made now – it’s not fair on students watching the news every day to learn what is happening next. We have no idea when they will be back in schools.
“Offer a calculated grade to every student and after that, if a student isn’t happy with that grading system, they can return and do a written exam.”
