Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)
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561. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps her Department is taking to ensure that this year’s Leaving Certificate students are not at a disadvantage as a result of her Department’s move to reduce grade inflation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17505/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Following the implementation of calculated grades in 2020 and the dual approach of examinations and accredited grades in 2021, two types of intervention have been implemented in recent years: adjustments to examination and assessments arrangements, and a post-marking adjustment to outcomes. This post-marking adjustment has ensured that results in the aggregate have remained the same on average since 2021.

As is widely recognised, it is appropriate to return over time to normal arrangements for Leaving Certificate outcomes and on 17 April 2024, it was announced by the then-Minister that the return to normal Leaving Certificate outcomes would begin in 2025.

It was announced that this would be done gradually in line with the commitment that there would be no “cliff edge” in overall results.

I am very conscious of the stress of the exam period on students and do not want to add to this stress. While grade inflation must be reduced, it must be done in a way that’s as fair as possible.

The then-Minister announced a gradual reduction in line with the commitment that there would be no “cliff edge” in overall results. The aim is to minimise, in so far as possible, the impact on students. The State Examinations Commission (SEC) will again apply a post-marking adjustment after all marking is complete, which, this year, will bring results in the aggregate to a point broadly midway between the 2020 and 2021 levels. Results in the aggregate in 2025 are expected to be above 2019 levels by at least 5.5 percentage points on average.

In addition, the examinations and assessment adjustments that have applied in recent years continue to apply for students in 2025. These assist students by leaving intact the familiar overall structure of the examinations, while incorporating additional choice for students in the examinations. In some cases, the adjustment measures provide more time for tuition by, for example, reducing preparatory work for practical examinations.

Access to higher education is a matter for the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS). This Department is working closely with DFHERIS, which has emphasised it is strongly committed to supporting students as evidenced in the creation of additional places in a number of high-demand courses over the past number of years. These additional places have been created in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and therapy disciplines among others. Further additionality is in place for 2025, including a new programme in dentistry.

This Department has been advised that the proportion of higher education entrants who completed their Leaving Certificate the previous year is typically around 13% and that there are no indications at this time that the proportion of students applying with pre-2025 Leaving Certificate results varies significantly this year compared to previous years.