Wednesday marks the beginning of the Leaving Certificate examinations- a milestone moment for more than 60,000 nervy students. It is the culmination of years of second-level education and a gateway to higher learning, apprenticeships or employment.
The exam, which marks its 100th anniversary this year, has long been a cornerstone of our education system. In recent years, however, its role has been transformed by exceptional circumstances. The pandemic upended the traditional exams, resulting in predicted grades, hybrid assessments and a period of inflated results. While these measures were justified, their broader consequences are still being reckoned with.
This year, the State Examinations Commission will begin returning grades closer to pre-pandemic norms. That recalibration will be watched closely – and anxiously – by students, parents, and schools. The Department of Education has promised a “managed, gradual return” to standardisation. It is the right approach and should be handled with transparency and compassion.
At the same time, Minister for Education Helen McEntee is to press ahead with reforms in September aimed at reducing pressure on students and broadening how their skills and knowledge are assessed. This will mean a greater emphasis on project work and continual assessment, fewer marks awarded for traditional written exams and new subjects in areas such as climate change and sustainability.
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The need for reform is clear . While the exam retains strong public trust and carries real weight in shaping individual futures, it must evolve. When the OECD last reviewed the Leaving Cert, it found that its overall purposes seemed “too narrow and rigid” for Ireland’s aspirations of delivering a learning experience to the highest international standards. As a senior OECD official later put it, Ireland needs to modernise its education system to avoid producing “second-class robots” in a world of rapid technological change.
Teaching unions have valid concerns over the planned changes. They want more support, greater resources for schools and a more flexible timetable for the rollout of the new curriculum. They also have questions over the integrity of assessments in an age where AI tools can generate convincing-looking projects within seconds. None of these issues are insurmountable and can be resolved in talks with the Department of Education.
This year’s students, meanwhile, have faced unique disruptions. The shadow of Covid loomed over the early years of their second-level education. Learning gaps, social isolation and changes in classroom experience all left their mark. Those stepping into exam halls deserve recognition. They have shown adaptability, strength and resilience – qualities which will serve this year’s students far beyond the summer.
