Education minister 'determined' Leaving Cert exams will go ahead in June

Education minister Norma Foley is determined the traditional Leaving Certificate exam will go ahead in June despite the closure of schools.

Education minister Norma Foley is determined that the traditional Leaving Certificate exam will go ahead in June despite the closure of schools.

Ms Foley has been accused of causing "needless embarrassment" for the Government after she was forced to abandon plans to bring Leaving Cert students back to class from next week.

Opposition parties have also hit out at the Government for a lack of a "Plan B" in the eventuality that sending Leaving Cert students back to school for three days a week did not go ahead.

A number of Fine Gael TDs accused the minister of being "out of touch".

"It might have been well-intentioned, but it was not thought out and it caused needless embarrassment on the Government," one politician said.

Ms Foley met with teaching unions as well as student and parent representatives yesterday after her plans for a partial return to the classroom were roundly rejected.

#WATCH Education Minister Norma Foley says she’s determined there’ll be a “traditional” Leaving Cert this summer, following a Government U-turn on plans for a limited reopening of schools@PaulQuinnNews has the latest#VMNews | #COVID19ireland | #COVID19 | #LeavingCert pic.twitter.com/mPhfaCHPTk

— Virgin Media News (@VirginMediaNews) January 8, 2021

She said it was "positive news" that there is a "clear determination" among all involved to go ahead with the State exams this summer.

She added that holding the exams "remains achievable", but there may need to be some allowances made for practicals and project work.

Asked if a Plan B to move to predicted grades is being considered, Ms Foley said things "are very different this year than last year", and schools are now geared up for online and remote learning.

Ms Foley will meet with representative groups about the reopening of special-needs schools next week after representatives of families of children with special needs said they had been “devastated” by the Government’s U-turn on those schools’ reopening.

Minister for Education Norma Foley will meet representatives of special needs organisations on Monday following the decision not to reopen schools next week | https://t.co/eLNbcieV4T pic.twitter.com/BRdp4hxX8B

— RTÉ News (@rtenews) January 8, 2021

The announcement that special schools are to remain closed left families “reeling”, according to Down Syndrome Ireland chief executive Barry Sheridan, who said they are now “worried about what further regression and distress will be experienced during another potentially lengthy closure period with no plan on how these children can be supported by the State”.

Inclusion Ireland chief executive Enda Egan said it is “incumbent” on all groups to work together to find a solution to prevent any further damage being done during this lockdown.

Ms Foley said these groups will be prioritised when it comes to returning to the classroom.

"It is my determination that all students are facilitated for a return to school, and that particular accommodation would, of course, be made for children with additional needs and our Leaving Cert students," Ms Foley told the Last Word programme on Today FM.