English Leaving Certificate exam may be held on earlier Saturday date

THE first English paper in next year’s Leaving Certificate could be held on a Saturday to avoid disruption to other students, Education Minister Mary Hanafin has revealed.

Although she faces opposition from some second-level school managers to her plans to bring forward some written exams to ease pressure on students in June, Ms Hanafin is likely to announce changes early in the next school year for Leaving Certificate 2008.

The minister invited students who had just finished the Leaving Certificate to air their views this month at a consultation attended by State Examinations Commission officials. She indicated last weekend that rather than bringing the first written papers in English and Irish forward, as she had suggested, she might just move up the English exam.