The State Examinations Commission (SEC) has issued a last-minute appeal for teachers to work as examiners as the Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate exams get under way for more than 131,000 students countrywide.
The shortfall in applications across most subjects is a key factor leading to uncertainty over when Leaving Cert results will be available.
Universities have warned that a delay in releasing the results could lead to college being delayed for first-years, while students say it would result in a last-minute scramble for accommodation.
The commission, which hopes to announce a date for the results “shortly”, says there are several factors and challenges at play in addition to a shortage of examiners.
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They include uncertainty over the likely number of students who will sit deferred exams in July and additional time needed to apply a “post-marking intervention” to ensure grades are no lower, on average, than last year.
Minister for Education Norma Foley said the commission was “absolutely determined” to ensure results are released in as timely a manner as possible.
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“I want to acknowledge that they have always risen to the challenge and always ensured in very challenging times that there is a pathway forward for students,” she said.
“I have every confidence that the SEC will be in a position to meet the challenges as they currently exist.”
The commission has stepped up a recruitment campaign recently to highlight increased marking fees for teachers this year.
These fees represent an additional €6 per script at Leaving Cert level, an increase of up to 50 per cent depending on the subject and level marked, in addition to other payments for attending marking conferences.
However, teacher union sources say the combination of an “exhausting” academic year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, taxation rules and limited opportunity for travel expenses may be affecting the number of teachers available.
The commission said it is appealing to teachers to consider becoming an examiner and “undertake this vital work”.
“Teachers are the lifeblood of the national examinations system and the commission relies on their involvement in the marking of the examinations so that it can deliver on its core function,” it said.
Some 131,431 candidates are due to commence what will be the first full set of in-person State exams to be held in three years.
It is likely CAO points for college courses will be similar to last year’s record high, which was driven by a combination of grade inflation and record numbers of applicants.
The Government is hoping an additional 1,000 college places in high-demand courses such as medicine, nursing, engineering and architecture — to be announced shortly — will help take some heat out of the points race and reduce the use of random selection.
Under rules for this year’s exams, any student with Covid-19 or symptoms of the disease is being requested to stay away from the exams for an eight-day period. This has prompted the commission to hold a second set of deferred exams for candidates who cannot attend for Covid-related reasons, as well as a serious accident, injury or bereavement.
These deferred exams will run from June 30th to July 16th at several regional venues.
Ms Foley, meanwhile, sent her best wishes to students sitting the exams. “You have worked tirelessly and … that perseverance has brought you here, the hard work is done and will stand to you in the coming days and weeks,” she said.
