Labour and Social Democrats back calculated grades as exam alternative

A decision on the 2021 Leaving Cert should be made this week, say Labour and the Social Democrats. File Picture.

The Labour Party and the Social Democrats have both called for a type of calculated grading system in lieu of the traditional Leaving Cert exam.

A decision on the exam is hoped to be reached by cabinet next week, with chances of the traditional June exam depleting as schools remain closed.

Labour's education spokesperson Aodhán Ó Ríordáin says the decision needs to be taken this week. His call comes as some 2,000 students received their results for their Leaving Cert exams. Those students opted to sit traditional exams last November instead of taking the calculated grades option offered to all students.

"I'm reminded that the minister announced an independent review into last year's Leaving Cert, and the mistakes that existed. She announced that in October," the Labour spokesperson said.

"If the independent review had happened at that time, we would have learned the lessons by this stage and therefore it would be in a better position to make a decision now as to what should happen for the Leaving Cert cohort of 2021."

'No lessons have been learned'

Mr Ó Ríordáin said he understands that review has not taken place and said "no lessons have been learned".

"We know that the orals in their practical subjects are very unlikely to take place under examination, so it is most likely now as a decision has already been made on that assessed grades, calculated grades, will be given to those students, so what we're really talking about the written exam that we believe that should be to be a calculated grade given to students, and then if the student is not happy with that they can sit the exam at a later date.

"But either way, we can't have a repeat of the mistakes of last year."

Mr Ó Ríordáin says the calculated grade system this year will be different as data doesn't exist such as results from mock exams taken in fifth year, but will need to be worked out to ensure young people are not disadvantaged.

You don't want the situation to happen in years to come, where people fall without further education, or having to come back and rely on your 2021 results, and then find that there's an Asterix beside them, and they don't have the same validity or same status as previous years

Likewise, the Social Democrats spokesperson, Gary Gannon said calculated grades should be implemented this year.

"I think calculated grades give students a certainty of actually what will happen.

"Blended options mean giving different approaches to Leaving Cert, and then there will be potential problems on the horizon when college offers are being given out later in the summer.

"Our call today is for calculated grades to be implemented for this year's sixth year students, to give clarity and peace of mind to students who have already experienced a huge level of anxiety.

"It's very clear that not all students are learning the same way and that simply isn't possible, because not every student has access to the same level of resources, and in particular that comes down to the laptop and the access to broadband. So when we can't get your schools back open, there needs to be renewed vigour given to get a laptop into the hands of every student."

Mr Gannon also noted that young people will be dealing with a high level of anxiety upon return to school and teachers should be trained around trauma-informed education.