Ireland

Leaving Certificate may begin on July 29, education minister says

The Leaving Certificate exams are expected to take place in late July
The Leaving Certificate exams are expected to take place in late July The Leaving Certificate exams are expected to take place in late July

The Leaving Certificate may take place on July 29, the education minister has said.

Joe McHugh held a live interview on Instagram last night with youth website spunout.ie.

He said he hoped to be in a position to formally announce a date for when the exam would start.

READ MORE: Lack of clarity about leaving certificate 'causing stress among students'Opens in new window ]

"We will be in a position in a couple of days time to confirm that date ... the date that we're going to be looking at is Wednesday the 29th of July."

He said predicted grades, which are being used in other countries in place of formal exams, are not being considered, adding that there is "too much inherent bias".

"There is the practicality of teachers' grading nieces, nephews, sons or daughters, or teachers who are easy markers or hard markers ... we don't feel the policy of predicted grading is a fair system," he said.

"We want to make this happen and this is not wanting to make it happen to put a burden on young people - we want to make it happen because we have looked at the predictive grading; we don't feel it's fair.

"We're taking into consideration the difficulties people have, the financial pressures people are under."

Mr McHugh said a more detailed timetable will not be finalised until early June as education officials want to ensure everything is decided with public health advice in mind.

Holding the exam in July is the department's Plan A he said, but the department is considering alternatives if it cannot go ahead then.

"We're looking at Plans B, C, D and E. There are so many movable positions. The best answer is that, at this point in time, we're working on making it happen," he said.

"We could face enormous challenges that we're not in a position to make predictions about."

In relation to students who may be missing out on education due to the "digital divide", Mr McHugh said he hoped to be in a position to make an announcement in the coming days.