News update for Junior Cycle 3rd Year students

All third year students are to be awarded certificates for the completion of Junior Cycle by the Department of Education and Skills under new measures announced today.

Following a meeting with education partners, Minister for Education Joe McHugh has also confirmed that schools will be given autonomy to assess students as they see fit, and all students are to receive a report on achievement.

The decision to formally abandon previous plans for schools to assess students in exams in the autumn was taken following recommendations from an advisory group of stakeholders that met this morning.

Minister McHugh said: "In this difficult time for students I have listened to the very strongly held and well-articulated views of students, parents and other stakeholders.

"This decision has been made with the health and wellbeing of students, parents and teachers at the forefront of our thinking.

"It gives students and their families more clarity and certainty. It also gives schools freedom to decide how best to assess the progress of students following three years of hard work and learning."

Schools will be free to decide whether to hold online tests for students in coming weeks or to award marks based on work already completed.

Source: RTE News

We now need to consider the changes that have been just announced and will thereafter communicate arrangements that will be put in place, for the assessment of the 3rd year students.

Please bear with us while this process takes place.