More than 67,000 students will on Wednesday receive their Junior Cycle results six months after they sat their exams, with the delay caused by a shortage of teachers opting to work as examiners.
More students secured top grades – of at least 90 per cent – in subjects such as English, science and business studies this year compared to the last Junior Cycle exams, which took place three years ago.
However, for other subjects it is difficult to make a valid comparison due to the introduction of new exam papers since 2019, involving different grading systems and subject specifications. Results are no longer categorised using As, Bs or Cs but rather using grades such as distinction (90-100 per cent), higher merit (75-89 per cent), merit (55-74 per cent), achieved (40-54 per cent), partially achieved (20-39 per cent), and not graded (0-19 per cent).
All of the exams introduced under Junior Cycle reform are “no-choice” exams, which the State Examinations Commission says reflects the intention that those achieving the highest grades will have demonstrated a “high level of mastery” of the knowledge, understanding and skills in a subject. This is reflected in a breakdown of results this year that shows that in each subject just 2-3 per cent of candidates secured a distinction, while 18-38 per cent of candidates achieved a higher merit grade and 35-50 per cent achieved a merit.
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Some students now face an uncertain wait for their complete set of results – which include classroom-based assessments – due to a row over teachers refusing to attend meetings outside school hours. These assessments form part of a new “Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement”, which is intended to provide a broader account of student achievements in the classroom, in addition to exam results.
The dispute involves the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland (ASTI) and relates to the timing of meetings aimed at signing-off on students’ results in classroom-based assessments. Efforts to resolve the row are ongoing and the Department of Education says further information will be given to schools on arrangements for issuing the Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement in the coming weeks.
Wednesday’s results, meanwhile, are the first externally marked Junior Cycle results since 2019 after exams were cancelled for students – apart from adult learners – in 2020 and 2021 for public health reasons and replaced with school-based assessments.
It is also the first time since subjects have been delivered under the reformed Junior Cycle curriculum. All subjects are also examined at common level, with the exception of Irish, English and maths, which are still examined at higher and ordinary levels.
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Minister for Education Norma Foley congratulated students on reaching a “significant milestone” in their education journey.
“Throughout your school life, each of you will have learned so much and will have developed a myriad of talents, skills and ambitions that will pave the way as you embark on the next stage of your education journey,” she said.
“I want to congratulate each and every one of you again on reaching this major milestone in your life and best wishes for your next steps.”
She has also pledged to establish a review group to examine ways to attract more teachers to work as examiners next year. The number of teachers available to grade Junior Cycle exams this year dropped by about 500, or 14 per cent, compared to 2019. This is despite marking fees for these exams increasing by about 50 per cent or more. Ms Foley has confirmed that higher rates of pay for examiners, introduced on a once-off basis this year, will be retained in 2023.
