Universities fear later Leaving Cert results could delay start to new academic year

Universities are concerned that Leaving Cert results for more than 60,000 students may issue later than normal this year.

While results are traditionally issued in mid-August, education sources say the decision to hold a second set of exams in July for Covid reasons could push results towards late August or early September.

A date for the release of the 2022 Leaving Cert results is likely to be announced shortly. CAO round one offers for college applicants are typically released a few days after the exam results are issued.

Higher education sources are concerned that a delay to the Leaving Cert results will force them to stagger the beginning of the new academic year for first year students.

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This, in turn, could lead to a last-minute scramble for accommodation among first year students.

There are also concerns within education circles over the potential of a later results date impacting on the college hopes of thousands of students who hope to study abroad.

The Leaving Cert exams are due to get underway on June 8th and finish on June 28th. An alternative set of Leaving Cert exams will take place shortly afterwards, which will be limited to certain categories of students, such as those who experience a close family bereavement, Covid-19 illness and certain other categories of serious illness. There will be strict eligibility criteria applying to this contingency sitting.

Authorities will likely have to wait until they have both sets of marked exams results before issuing results.

Additional choice

This summer will mark a result to traditional exams, although students will have additional choice and fewer questions. This is aimed at accounting for Covid-related disruption to the school year.

Minister for Education Norma Foley has said the overall marks this year will be "no lower" than last year's record-breaking set of results.

This will be achieved by allowing the State Examinations Commission (SEC) to apply a "post-marking intervention", which will lift all students' marks, if necessary.

Separately, the SEC has made direct appeals to school principals to encourage teachers to work as examiners for the Leaving Cert oral exams just weeks before they begin.

Authorities are facing challenges hiring teachers this year due to a combination of the Covid-19 threat and the need for greater numbers of examiners on the basis that attrition rates are likely to be much higher than normal.

The commission said it will continue to accept applications from teachers for positions as oral examiners across all subjects beyond published closing dates and right up to the commencement of the exams in three weeks’ time.

Oral exams traditionally take place during school time either shortly before or after the Easter holidays.

This year, however, the examinations are scheduled to take place in schools during the first week of the Easter school holidays - April 9th - 14th - to minimise disruption to teacher and learning in schools.

Oral exams will be held in Leaving Certificate Irish, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian and Japanese, and, for the first time, Mandarin Chinese, Polish, Lithuanian and Portuguese. The practical exam in Leaving Cert music is also due to take place.

Authorities hope that, in additional to the professional benefits of engaging in external exam work, higher rates of pay this year will attract more applicants.

In addition to a “revised arrangement fee” of just under €223.93 for attending a training conference, teachers are paid €25.16 per candidate in most cases.

Travelling expenses and subsistence allowances for all contract staff positions are also paid.

Higher rates

Rates are also higher for marking written exams in the summer. In addition to the €223.93 fee for attending a digital marking conference, examiners are to get an extra completion of marking fee of €150 per 25 Leaving Certificate scripts and €75 per 25 Junior Cycle scripts . This translates as an additional €6 per Leaving Cert script and an additional €3 per Junior Cycle script, which will be paid on top of the normal per script rate subjects.

In addition to advertising to teachers, the SEC made direct appeals to school principals seeking their support and assistance in encouraging their teachers to apply for this work.

All “suitably” qualified teachers are welcome to apply for exam positions. Examiners are selected based on their teaching and assessment experience and qualifications

Applicants must have a third level degree or equivalent; have recent teaching experience in the relevant subject area or related subject; and be available to work full-time for the duration of the marking.