Schools allowed to conduct Junior Cert alternatives before summer holidays, Minister announces

File photo

Schools can now decide to arrange their own forms of assessment for this year’s Junior Cert students, it has been announced today.

The school-based assessments, which were planned to be held in the autumn to take the place of the cancelled written exams in June, can now be completed by students before they get their summer holidays.

Schools will have the autonomy to assess students in whatever form they feel is best, the Minister for Education Joe McHugh announced today.

Options include school-designed examinations, tasks, projects, assignments, essay-style questions, presentations, or other tasks agreed at a local level.

Guidance for schools on reporting to students and parents, developed with the advice of the advisory group of stakeholders, will be published by the Department of Education.

All third-year Junior Cycle students will also be awarded certificates for completing the Junior Cycle by the Department of Education.

“In this difficult time for students I have listened to the very strongly-held and well-articulated views of students, parents, and other stakeholders,” Mr McHugh said.

This decision has been made with the health and wellbeing of students, parents and teachers at the forefront of our thinking.

The decision to hold off on running the assessments until the new school year had been criticised by many for putting an unnecessary burden on students.

Concerns had also been raised over the fairness of the exams, and how they would be timetabled, supervised, and corrected.