Students may be 'disbarred' from Leaving Cert if parents lobby for accredited grades
Or Minister Opt Examinations, Practical The Grades Will Students Oral Said To For Exams Take Those Who Have Accredited Not
Education Minister Norma Foley has indicated that Leaving Certificate students could be "disbarred from a particular exam" if their parents try to lobby teachers on predicted grades.
She said that legislation will be drawn up on penalties in relation to canvassing or trying to influence teachers over accredited marks.
Leaving Cert students will be offered the choice of sitting the traditional exam or opting for accredited grades. Students can also request both.
Education Minister Norma Foley has confirmed that there will be a "cautious and phased return" to schools beginning from March 1.
She said she will be introducing measures to ensure teachers are not lobbied over accredited grades for this year’s Leaving Cert.
"That is not appropriate, that will not happen," Ms Foley said.
"We are looking at measures, where it would not be appropriate for any type of canvassing or any type of approaches to teachers being made."
She added that teachers will receive an indemnification as she said that is only fair and proper.
Those students who opt for accredited grades will not have to take oral exams or practical examinations, the minister said.
"The students who will automatically receive a calculated grade, those students will not be compelled to take an oral and a practical. And I think that was only fair. I think we were very clear at the outset that students would be afforded the opportunity to have a calculated grade, and would have the choice then of taking the traditional Leaving Certificate exam."
The minister also said that rank orders would not be published and that the format for standardisation would be set by the State Examinations Board.
Speaking on , she said her department would be guided by public health officials on the return of teachers and pupils to the classroom.
"We would love to have all of our students back immediately and we would like to have had them back a lot earlier, but we must say that everything that we're doing is predicated on public health advice."