Exam results of more than 40 Leaving Cert students have been withheld by the Department of Education. In half of these cases, the students are suspected of colluding on project work submitted for the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme.
It is understood the Department refused to give any grades to one student who is suspected of cheating in every subject. In other cases, it is withholding the results of certain subjects from students who were allegedly cheating during the exams by bringing notes or other material into the exam hall.
About a dozen cases involve students who have failed to pay the exam fee. In some cases, students are claiming they are not liable for the fee as they are medical card holders. However, the Department will not release the results until they provide evidence of this.
The number of exam results withheld this year is thought to be about twice the average. Students have a right of appeal to the Department's exam branch in Athlone. The students are suspected of being in breach or exam regulations, and the withholding of marks represents the chief sanction available.
Under the Education Act there is provision for criminal charges if there is evidence of third-party collusion to subvert or undermine the integrity of any exam.
There is no question though of any such charges in any of the 40 cases, the Department confirmed in a statement to RTE radio's Five-Seven Live. The vocational programme is a more work-orientated Leaving Cert for students who may not proceed to third level. Students take regular Leaving Cert subjects but they also complete link modules, which are designed to encourage teamwork.
They compile a portfolio of work over a two-year period and can work in conjunction with their class colleagues, but each portfolio is expected to have its own flavour. The allegation is that the portfolios were similar in every respect.
The Department has sought clarification from the schools concerned but with teachers and pupils on holidays this has not always been possible. The results will be withheld until the full facts are clarified.
The Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme assessment comprises two elements, a written exam and a portfolio. Students receive the same certificate as other Leaving Cert students but their certificate includes an additional statement of the results of the link modules.
Grades for the link modules are a pass (5064 per cent), merit (65-79 per cent) and distinction (80100 per cent). The modules are recognised in points terms by institutes of technology and universities.
More than 10,000 people accessed Leaving Cert results through the Department's web site. Almost 40 per cent of hits were from outside the State. The Department has rejected suggestions that the site crashed, saying it merely closed it briefly to allow it to deal with the higher-than-expected volume of hits.