Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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155. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the contingency plans that have been enacted by her Department during the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 academic years to date to prepare for the leaving certificate 2022; if she has similar plans for leaving certificate 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4650/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Planning for the 2022 state examinations has been underway by my Department and the State Examinations Commission for some time. In similar fashion to 2020 and 2021, this work has been assisted by an advisory group of key stakeholders.

In recent weeks, I have attended a meeting with the Advisory Group on State Examinations, which has representatives of students, parents, teachers, school managerial bodies, the further and higher education sector, and the State Examinations Commission. Following on from this meeting, I met with the members of the advisory group on a bilateral basis and also had further engagement with each of them thereafter. I have listened carefully to what each of these stakeholders has had to say and examined each of their points.

Following consideration of this matter by Government , I announced today the decision: to operate an examinations approach for Leaving Certificate in 2022, with significant further adjustments to the examinations; and to provide students with a commitment that the overall results of Leaving Certificate 2022 will not be lower than in 2021. As the Deputy may be aware, it would not have been possible to run Accredited Grades in the same manner as last year, as Junior Cycle data was unavailable for 25% of our students.

The further extensive changes I have announced to the examination papers, over and above those announced in August 2021, mean that candidates: have greater choice in the papers; have less questions to answer; and still have the same amount of time as in a normal year to complete the examination. For example, in mathematics on each paper, instead of having to answer all ten questions, candidates will only have to answer six.

This is in addition to previously announced changes, such as the running of the Leaving Certificate Oral Examinations and Music Practical over the first week of the Easter Break.

Timeframes for certain assessment elements of the Leaving Certificate Applied examinations have also been pushed out. Schools were also reminded of the flexibilities regarding the dates for completion and authentication of examination Coursework.

For certain specified categories of students who are unable to sit their examinations in June there will be an alternative sitting of the Leaving Certificate examinations. This will be provided for students who, due to serious illness, close family bereavement, or for Covid-related reasons based on public health advice, are unable to sit one or more papers in the first sitting of the examinations. There will be strict eligibility criteria applying to this contingency sitting, to be developed by the State Examinations Commission.

I believe that the decision I announced today will provide Leaving Certificate students of 2022 with an opportunity for their learning and attainment at the end of their post-primary education to be assessed, and will enable them to progress to the next stage of their lives. It also provides the certainty and clarity in this matter that had been requested by schools and parents.

My Department and the State Examinations Commission will begin planning for the 2023 examinations immediately after the 2022 examinations.