Leaving Cert: Department 'unable to commit' to date for result of appeals
Almost 13,000 students lodged an appeal in relation to 33,000 grades. Picture: File image
The Department of Education has yet to confirm when students will find out about the outcome of their Leaving Cert appeals.
With a record number of appeals received this year from students unhappy with their calculated grades, there is also still no guarantee that students successful in their appeals will be able to start on their preferred college course this year.
“Every effort will be made to process appeals as quickly as possible but the department is unable at this time to commit to a date for the issue of the appeal results,” a spokesman for the department said.
Students will be notified as soon as possible, he said, adding that every effort will be made to process the initial stages of the appeals process in time to allow students to take up an offer or change course within the current academic year.
“However, it is not possible to guarantee at this stage that, following a successful appeal, students will be able to take up a college course this year.
“It depends on factors such as the number of appeals received, the nature of the appeal, and the higher education course being applied for. However, where possible, higher education institutions will attempt to facilitate students.”
The Leaving Cert calculated appeals process closed on September 16. Almost 13,000 students lodged an appeal, in relation to almost 33,700 grades. This compares to 17,037 appeal applications received in 2019 from more than 9,000 students.
However, the appeals process this year is limited to checking that data relating to grades was inputted, transferred, and downloaded correctly. Appeals will not focus on the decisions that led to grades, or on the statistical process involved in standardising calculated grades.
The outcomes of appeals will be communicated to all students at the same time, the Department of Education spokesman added.
The third stage of the appeals process, which sees appeals escalated to an Independent Appeals Scrutineer, will take longer.
"If students are successful at this stage, and as a result receive an improved college offer, it will not be in time for them to avail of this offer within the current academic year. Students will be able to take a deferred offer for 2021/22."
Subject to public health advice, written exams are due to begin in November. The application date for entry closes on Friday, October 2, at 5pm.
