In homes all over Ireland, the time-honoured tension of Leaving Cert results day will descend once more on Friday. It’s a precarious time for students, who understand that their entire future might hinge on a handful of lone letters. For parents hoping their offspring will reach their vocational goals, it’s a time filled with worry.
Affected by a global pandemic, this year’s set of students has had a particularly trying teenage period. Their senior-level education experienced the disorder caused by the Covid-19 crisis – school closures and transition to digital learning. The Leaving Cert, for many, was their inaugural state exam after the Junior Cycle exams were called off. Their resilience and steadfast determination are reflected in their results today.
Norma Foley, the Minister for Education, intentionally increased this year’s grades to mirror the inflated rates of the past few years, acknowledging these adversities. The practice of teacher-predicted grades had caused a surge in grades during coronavirus years. The apprehension lay in returning to pre-crisis grades which might leave this year’s students disadvantaged in the competition for university seats.
However, this decision comes with a downside. The mass of top grades makes it increasingly difficult for universities to distinguish amongst high-demand course applicants. This challenge has resulted in the more frequent recourse to random selection in recent years for awarding places. The Minister has subsequently assured a graded return to standard grading from the following year. Despite disapproval from students, this change is crucial to uphold the validity of the grading process.
With the Leaving Cert, the call for reform remains as urgent as always. Haywire teenagers, who are technological whizzes and appreciate decision-making freedom, often find themselves stuck in a passive role. Students are prompted to reproduce rote answers to anticipated queries, relying on the marking schemes. Consequently, students are left under stress, instructors are left with no alternatives, and originality suffers.
The OECD asserts that the Leaving Cert is “too constrained and inflexible” to achieve the greatest international norms. As stated by a senior official, Ireland’s education system must modernise to prevent creating “second-grade robots” in an era of fast-paced technological advancements. An overhaul of the Leaving Cert system can’t come quickly enough.
In an encouraging indication of future developments, recent graduates will have an expanded range of avenues and prospects in their pursuit of professional aspirations. A surge in the number of pupils opting for apprenticeships indicates a potential change in perception towards vocational credentials. The availability of further education courses after the completion of A-Levels, as well as newly introduced degree courses, offer an alternative way into higher education without the requirement of UCAS points.
The A-Level results highlight the stark contrast of strengths and weaknesses among learners. Everyone adopts a unique learning style. Primarily, it is crucial that we develop an educational system that is inclusive and caters to the variabilities of all students.