Secondary exam fee waivers soar by 50%

The number of Junior and Leaving Certificate students getting a waiver from exam fees because of family circumstances has jumped by more than 50% in five years to nearly 42,000.

For the first time, more than a third of students qualified because they or their families had a medical card. The 36.5% of last year’s 114,614 exam candidates who did not have to pay the fees — €116 for Leaving Certificate and €109 for Junior Certificate — compares to just 23% in 2005 to 2007 when 26,000 to 27,000 a year qualified.

Although data on fee waivers for this year’s State exams are not yet available, the 2012 figures provided to the Irish Examiner mean around 180 students in the average-size second-level school of 500 students are from a family with a medical card. In 2007, the equivalent figure was fewer than 120, based on State Examinations Commission data on fee exemptions.

The National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals said the figures highlight the difficulties faced in schools, as more children may have worries at home.

Director Clive Byrne said: “It shows the important need for middle management roles in schools for pastoral duties, and the need to retain levels of guidance support for students.”

School management has been depleted by a ban on filling posts of responsibility, which leaves some schools unable to appoint teachers to act as year heads, a role in which pastoral care is a big factor. Many schools have reduced availability of guidance counsellors because staffing changes imposed last year by the Department of Education mean some of them are teaching curricular subjects as well.

Mr Byrne said schools experience difficulties when they report concerns about possible neglect at home to the authorities, as there is little or no follow-up because of shortages of social workers.

The reduced means of students’ families also have an impact on schools’ funding. “Schools are having to look for increased contributions and support from families, but that’s not as easy anymore. In the past, fundraising was used to provide extras, now what is brought in is only covering basic running costs,” Mr Byrne said.

More than 1.8m people, 40% of the population, are now covered by a medical card.