'Disadvantaged students will now be doubly disadvantaged' - Parties react to Leaving Cert cancellation

The Government's political rivals say that "appalling" school profiling in lieu of the Leaving Cert will further inequality in education.

The decision to postpone the exam, and instead move forward with calculated grading and school profiling have been flagged as major concerns over whether they can be carried out fairly.

School profiling relates to the overall average exam results produced by an individual school.

Data shows that students from more affluent schools are more likely to secure university places than those from poorer areas.

Opposition politicians say this factor compounded with the fact the student will not sit an exam means that high-performing students in low-performing schools will now be operating at a disadvantage.

Labour's education spokesman, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin called calculated grading "problematic" and would likely ensure that those at fee-paying schools would end up with better grades than children at schools from disadvantaged areas, saying that calculated grades have already been seen in the UK to be unfair, and "certainly school profiling is absolutely going to mitigate against disadvantaged students".

"Disadvantaged students will now be doubly disadvantaged because of this appalling school profiling," he said.

"The UK has proven that this is hugely problematic and disadvantages high-achieving disadvantaged students and to actually promote students of high-income backgrounds.

If you are a high-achieving student at a disadvantaged school, and you are an average student in a fee-paying school, I think the second student that I just mentioned has a better chance of getting out of this with a better mark than the former student and that's what's deeply troubling.

Likewise, Sinn Féin's spokesperson on Education Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire said he was "particularly concerned" about profiling.

"I am worried that children in schools that suffer from disadvantage will suffer from this measure, and they will not get the grades they deserve," he said.

Questions have also been raised about the advice given to the department after Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said he had had no engagement with the Department of Education this morning, and whether the decision to not go ahead with the exam was a political one.

The Taoiseach said on April 2 that the exam would go ahead "by hook or by crook", before performing today's U-turn on the decision, after weeks of commentary, leaks to the media and public pressure.

"It does seem to be more of a political decision, than a health one," Mr O Riordan added, after noting the government may have been lobbied by outside groups to have the exam postponed.

"If it is a political decision, what other groups are going to come to the fore now, and have their opinions override potential health advice?"

Thomas Byrne, Fianna Fáil's Education spokesman has been calling for the exam to be scrapped for a number of weeks saying it was "unquestionably fairer" than to hold the exam during a pandemic.