Johnny Mythen (Wexford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I wish to start by acknowledging the campaigns and work done to date by all students throughout the State, especially in my own county of Wexford. From emails to petitions and student councils, I have been inspired by the passion and organisation displayed by Wexford pupils to ensure their voices and those of their peers are heard on this topic. I am glad to add my voice to that today. I also thank my colleague Deputy Ó Laoghaire for all his work on bringing this motion before us today.

The uncertainty of the past two years has been incredibly difficult for both teachers and students. The leaving certificate is a most stressful time in any young person's life without the added pressures and strains of a pandemic which has seen unprecedented pupil and teacher absences, delays, disruptions and stresses. I wonder, and indeed I have submitted a parliamentary question on the issue, if there has been any central logging and collecting of data on teacher absences due to Covid-19 over the past two years. Between illnesses and close contact restriction rules, we know students have had their curricular continuity broken and have faced disruption to class rotas and modular activities. Surely, the Minister agrees the 2022 leaving certificate students are going through the same difficulties as the students of 2020 and 2021. Despite this, the students of 2020 and 2021 were offered the choice of taking written exams or calculated grades. I put it to the Minister that a precedent has been set. Over two thirds of students this year want to be treated in the same manner as their predecessors before them.

There is also an economic downturn aspect to this issue, too. When schools were closed, some rural pupils faced the reality of having no Internet, tech devices and no place they could access them. These students may very well be our future doctors, teachers, nurses and innovators. They deserve to have a leaving certificate that takes into account the reality of trying to keep their studies up while struggling with a pandemic that disrupted every facet of their normal lives for almost two and a half years. This is why it is only right and fair students this year are given the choice and a definite decision is made between calculated grades and written exams. It is what students want. They have made their voices abundantly clear in respectful, passionate and inspiring ways. I urge all Deputies to support their calls by supporting this motion today.

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