Parents and public must accept ‘challenging’ exams

PARENTS and the public, generally, must accept the Leaving Certificate has to challenge students rather than react angrily to difficult exam papers, says the head of the agency that will lead its overhaul.

The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) is already finalising changes to the Junior Certificate cycle that should see students rely more for their marks on project, portfolio and other tests of their abilities.

But, under proposals in the debate on refocusing the Leaving Certificate, such assessments could also be extended to students who are in the final two years of second level education.