Call for investment in Leaving Cert

Significant investment in maintaining standards will be vital if more assessment methods are used for the Leaving Certificate, TDs and senators have heard.

Lewis Purser, Irish Universities Association director of academic affairs, told the Oireachtas Education Committee that good practice of teachers regularly assessing their students is often sacrificed by the preparation required for the Leaving Certificate’s high-stakes format.

However, he said, a rigorous form of moderation would need to be invested in by the Department of Education and State Examinations Commission to avoid a serious risk around validity, consistency, and reliability of an exam system.