Big surge in uptake of Junior Cert oral Irish

The number of students who did an optional Junior Certificate oral Irish test has shot up by one-third this year, despite teacher union opposition to school-based assessment.

Figures obtained by the Irish Examiner show that more than 14,000 students at more than one in three second-level schools were tested. But the oral exams are not organised or paid for by the State Examinations Commission (SEC), which unions, who are taking industrial action over junior cycle assessment methods, claim should mark students for all certificate exams.

The 14,172 students given marks for the optional oral Irish test will get their results tomorrow at 251 of the country’s 723 second-level schools. They make up around 27% of an estimated 52,500 who have a grade in Irish among their Junior Certificate results.