As more than 115,000 students begin their Leaving and Junior Cert exams this morning, Minister for Education Mary Hanafin has signalled her backing for some exam reform, writes Seán Flynn, Education Editor.
However, the type of reform favoured by the Minister is thought to be well short of the ambitious plan suggested by the group which advises her on exam issues, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA).
This month the department is due to respond to an ambitious €50 million NCCA reform plan for the Leaving Cert.
This would see students face a new rolling series of exams over a two-year cycle instead of one terminal exam.
It also proposes new transition units in areas such as drama and sport, and a much wider choice of subjects.
The NCCA, made up of the various education partners, says the current exam puts too much stress on rote learning, and places too much pressure on students.
Education sources say the department will back some modest changes, but there will be no "big bang".
It will also back a more practical approach in some subjects to make them more modern and relevant. Details are now being finalised.
The department is also anxious to address the "crisis in maths".
More than 5,000 students either fail ordinary level maths or take foundation level exams, making them ineligible for many third-level options.
However Ms Hanafin is thought to be opposed to plans for continuous assessment. This is also opposed by ASTI, the main secondary teachers' union.
Earlier this year Ms Hanafin dubbed the NCCA proposals as the "Rolls-Royce" option.
She also questioned the capacity of many teenage boys for self-directed learning when so many are under-performing in the current exam-focused environment.
The council has defended its proposals, which it says "do not involve change for change's sake".
The new exam, it says, could help reduce the drop-out rate after the Junior Cert, assist those with special education needs and meet a wider range of educational, social and economic needs.