Updated: 10am
This year’s Leaving Certificate results have been released to over 60,000 students around the country.
Following a number of years during which the exams were heavily impacted by the Covid pandemic, the results were described as “consistent” with previous years following adjustments.
The 2023 exams were the first formal State examinations this year’s cohort had ever sat after their Junior Cert was cancelled due to the pandemic.
Some 61,736 students received results on Friday morning, including 58,006 Leaving Cert candidates and 3,730 Leaving Cert Applied applicants.
Minister for Education Norma Foley announced last September that similar accommodations to recent years would be made for the Leaving Cert class of 2023 due to the disruption to their schooling by the pandemic.
Speaking to RTÉ radio's Morning Ireland, the Minister said there was “nothing fair about Covid”, so adjustments were necessary.
Described the class of 2023 as a “unique cohort”, she said she had given the commitment that their grade profile would be the same as last year’s and that had been achieved.
“What I have said is that each year the unique circumstances that pertain to each group of students will be taken into consideration.
“I've always been very clear and as Minister, my focus has always been on fairness for the students, that we would always take a student centred approach and we would do what was in the best interests of the student at any given time and their unique circumstances at a given time,” Ms Foley said.
She added that the measures which may have to be taken for next year’s students will be decided “at an opportune time” following an adjudication of the results and appeals from this year's exams.
The Minister acknowledged that some of this year's exam papers were “perhaps more difficult” than 2022, but added: “Un the round, I did make the determination that the grade profile would be similar over two years, so the uplift was greater this year than last year to achieve that.”
Adjustments
Chairperson of the SEC Pat Burke said a “post-marking adjustment” was made to the examination results in keeping with the Minister’s commitment.
He said this should mean that the overall set of results for 2023 “should on the aggregate be no lower than 2022”.
“Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Commissioners and I have endeavoured to ensure that candidates taking the Leaving Certificate and Leaving Certificate Applied examinations are treated as fairly and equitably as possible having regard to the adverse impact of Covid-19,” he said.
“We welcomed the clarity provided to the education system in September 2022 through the early notification of the level of adjustment to the assessment arrangements this year. In response, we have delivered adjusted examinations and assessments which take account of the disruption to learning for this year’s cohort.
“We have again applied a post-marking adjustment to the examination results in order to give effect to the minister’s commitment that there would be no ‘cliff edge’ return to pre-pandemic aggregate grade profiles and the subsequent decision that this should mean that the overall set of results for 2023 should on the aggregate be no lower than 2022.
“Through this measure it is intended that the Leaving Certificate class of 2023 will not be disadvantaged when competing with the class of 2022 or previous years for opportunities in further or higher education or employment.”
Ahead of the issuing of results, Ms Foley said: “Today brings enormous reward and recognition for all your hard work and dedication over the past number of years, including through challenging times.
“This is an exciting occasion in your life, filled with the prospects of the many great and varied opportunities that lie ahead.
“To all of you receiving results today, I wish you every success and happiness as you embark on the next stage in your life.”
The National Parents and Students Leaving Cert Helpline (1800-265 165) will operate from August 25th until September 2nd, at 10am to 6pm each day, except for August 27th when it will be open from 10am to 2pm and September 2nd when it will be open from 10am to 4pm.
