2,000 more people take exams than last year

Almost 2,000 students more than last year are getting their Junior Certificate results at schools and other education centres today.

The 58,798 people whose wait for their grades is coming to an end is 3.4% more than last year, and includes 1,000 who came through back-to-education schemes. The 57,798 school-based candidates is 2,027 higher than in 2011.

It is the highest number of Junior Cert students since 2004 and rising enrolments suggest the 60,000-plus who sat it in 2001 and 2002 will be repeated within two years.