Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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931. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the guidelines that have been issued to schools for junior certificate students for assessing students in view of the significant number of months missed due to Covid-19. [15541/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As part of the Government Decision on 17 February last, the normal Junior Cycle Examination processes for 2021 were cancelled.

Given the priority that needed to be accorded to the Leaving Certificate examinations and the challenge associated with running them, it was not considered feasible to run a set of Junior Cycle Examinations also. 

This decision followed intensive engagement with education stakeholders bilaterally and through the Planning for State Examinations 2021 Advisory Group and sub-group.

Guidance has been provided to schools and centres of education in the form of Guidelines on Assessment and Reporting on Students’ Learning – Junior Cycle 2021 and is available on the gov.ie page for the Junior Cycle 2021.  These guidelines set out arrangements to support schools and centres for education in their approach to reporting on the learning achievements and progress of students who are completing their Junior Cycle programme of study in 2021.

Schools will shortly be provided with further guidance on continuing to engage this year group in online learning and assessment during the period of school closure and through in-person learning when schools re-open.