Dissatisfied pupils told to stay in education

Guidance counsellors say disappointment with today’s results should not mean an end to further study or career aspirations.

While most Leaving Certificate students should hopefully be pleased with their performance, the big focus now will be on the wait for college offers on Monday.

With 44,000 of those entered for the exams in June having applied to the CAO, the first action many of them face is to work out how many points they have and if it might be enough to get into their first choice. That will not be clear until next week, but Institute of Guidance Counsellors president Gerry Flynn says all students getting results today deserve congratulations.

“These results mark the culmination of their work at second level over the last five or six years and will influence the next phase of their education and career pathways. For many, it is a fitting reward for the commitment, dedication, and hard work they have put in over their years,” he said.

Based on last year’s figures, about 48,000 people can expect to get a college place offered to them on Monday. This will leave close to 9,000 CAO applicants without an offer and many more not given the chance to take on their first-choice course.

Mr Flynn said others will continue their education at post-Leaving Certificate level or go down the apprenticeship route, while more still may enter the workforce directly.

For those disappointed that their results do not reflect their efforts and commitment over their time at second level, he said they can assess their options with the assistance of their school guidance counsellor.

“They and other staff will help them charter an educational pathway forward that will be both rewarding and fulfilling.”

Members of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors will be operating the National Parents’ Council-Post Primary (NPC-PP) Leaving Cert helpline again this year, which operates from 8am to 7pm today and tomorrow, and until 1pm on Friday. The same service runs next Monday to Friday to help with queries from students and parents around the CAO Round 1 offers.

“The result you get on Aug 14 is only a step-ping stone, and a flexible one at that. There are always options,” said NPC-PP spokeswoman Jackie O’Callaghan.

Another helpline will operate over the coming week at the Cork Youth Information Centre on 021 4270187 from 10am to 5pm.

* The Choices for College supplement with Monday’s Irish Examiner will feature the cut-off points for entry to all CAO courses in Round 1. It also has advice on grant applications, student accommodation, college costs and finance, repeat Leaving Certificate options, and a range of other useful topics.