Woods congratulates students on results

Minister for Education Dr Michael Woods has congratulated students, parents and teachers on this year’s Leaving Certificate results - which he described as "very satisfactory".

He said: "They follow a broadly similar pattern to those of other years, but with a higher proportion receiving honours than last year.

"With 59,499 students achieving the Leaving Cert this year, there are more places than ever - some 63,000 - available in institutes and colleges of further and higher education, providing unprecedented options for students.

"The Leaving Certificate is valuable currency which has real worth in the world of employment, training and further education."

The results indicate that the one-year-old industrial dispute involving members of the ASTI trade union, which saw a number of school days lost through strike action, did not negatively impact on student performance.

A total of 9,061 A1 grades, given where students score more than 90%, were awarded this year - up from 8,434 in 2000. And there were 109 students with six or more A1 grades, compared with 89 last year. One student achieved nine top grades.

Dr Woods added: "The number of students taking the examination this year represents a decline of 6%, in line with demographic trends, over last year’s candidature.

"This means that the class of 2001 will have more opportunities to progress to further education than ever before."

The results were available at schools this morning but, from noon, they were also available on the internet at www.examinations.ie.

However, students will have to wait until next Tuesday to see if they have got their first preference college place.