Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

28. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the State Examinations Commission's leaving certificate examination result date for 2022; and her views on the effects of the lateness of the results on students and the higher education sector. [34909/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

In recent years, faced with the challenge of Covid 19, the State Examination Commission (SEC) has successfully issued Leaving Certificate results in time to meet the needs of candidates and stakeholders.  Again this year, every effort is being made by the State Examinations Commission in order to ensure that Leaving Certificate results issue in a timely and efficient manner to meet the needs of candidates and end users. 

In announcing its intention to issue Leaving Certificate 2022 results on Friday September 2 the SEC Commission has now provided clarity and certainty for students and other stakeholders.

There are significant factors which, when taken together, meant that it was not possible for the SEC to previously give a planned date for issue of the results which include: 

1. Assessing the impact of the holding of a deferred sitting of the examinations for students who experience close family bereavement or for reasons related to serious injury or illness; or on public health grounds due to Covid-19;

2. The commitment that the overall set of results in 2022 will be no lower, in the aggregate, than the 2021 results; and,

3. Securing and maintaining the availability of sufficient numbers of examiners to mark written examinations.

In addition, in advance of the issue of the results, sufficient time must also be allowed for an extensive range of checks and quality assurance procedures which are required in the resulting process to ensure that the highest standards possible are maintained.

In early March of this year the SEC and my officials met with officials from the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and representatives from the higher and further education sector to set out the arrangements for Leaving Certificate 2022. The challenges associated with the delivery of the 2022 Leaving Certificate were outlined to stakeholders at that time.

It was clearly indicated at that time that the delivery of results in mid-August should not be expected due to the differences between earlier years prior to the Covid-19 pandemic and this year.

By working collectively with education stakeholders, it was possible for the further and higher education system to respond to the needs of students wishing to continue their education and training over the last two years and I am confident that this will be the case again in 2022, now that the results date has been confirmed.