Review of Leaving and Junior Cert promised

“The programme for government has backed away from controversial Fine Gael policies on the Irish language and third-level fees – but it is promising a review of both the Leaving and Junior Cert exams …” (more)

[Seán Flynn, Irish Times, 7 March]

Teacher fury over FG plan to publish exam results

“Parents could soon be able to check the Leaving Cert grades of each school. The new Fine Gael-led Government is set to find itself on a collision course with teachers over its plan …” (more)

[Independent, 2 March]

Parties fire shots over Irish language plans

“Fine Gael and Sinn Féin have exchanged electoral fire over the former party’s plans for the Irish language, which controversially includes plans to remove it as a compulsory subject for students sitting the Leaving Certificate …” (more)

[TheJournal.ie, 15 February]

FG wants all schools to publish Leaving Cert results

“The country’s 730 secondary schools will be compelled to publish Leaving Certificate exam results under a Fine Gael-led government, the Irish Independent has learned …” (more)

[John Walshe, Independent, 15 February]

Feachtas ar líne ar son na Gaeilge

“Leis an méid scannal i gcúrsaí polaitíochta na tíre le cúpla seachtain anuas, bheadh sé intuigthe dá mba rud é go raibh plé maidir leis an nGaeilge sa chóras oideachais curtha ar leathtaobh ar feadh tamall. Tá grúpa ar an bhfód anois, áfach, atá ag seasamh ar son cearta na Gaeilge agus i gcoinne an polasaí Ardteistiméireachta atá ag Fine Gael …” (more)

[Frances Mulraney, The College View, 11 February]

University admissions: time to re-think the criteria

“This is going to sound very grand, but over the past few years I have been trying to persuade the education sector and politicians of two things: the socially undesirable and financially unsustainable nature of ‘free’ higher education that is not adequately funded; and the damage being inflicted on Ireland by the Leaving Certificate examination …” (more)

[Ferdinand von Prondzynski, University Blog, February]

Education advisers call for PE as Leaving Cert exam

“Rugby, rock-climbing and dance could be the next big things in the Leaving Certificate. They are among the activities that government education advisers have suggested should form part of a new secondary school subject in Physical Education (PE) …” (more)

[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 1 February]

Main parties differ on their education policies

“Key differences in education policy have emerged between Fine Gael and Labour – the next likely partners in government …” (more)

[Independent, 25 January]

Fears for integrity of Irish exam as students get preview

“Students have been given a detailed preview of exactly what to expect in an oral Irish exam in 15 months’ time, after exam chiefs ignored the advice of experts …” (more)

[John Walshe, Independent, 21 January]

Schools cut PE classes for points despite rise in obesity

“Department of Education inspectors have rapped schools for cutting the amount of time that exam students spend in physical education (PE) classes. The pressure for results, particularly in the Leaving Cert points race, has been blamed for a trend in schools to sacrifice sport for exam subjects …” (more)

[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 13 January]

Basic student skills going into third level questioned

“An increasing number of Leaving Cert students entering third-level education exhibit serious deficiencies in basic literacy and analytical skills, according to one of the main teaching unions …” (more)

[Seán Flynn, Irish Times, 3 December]

Brendan Walsh on Leaving Cert. Points and University Performance in Economics

“… This paper shows that there is a weak association between Leaving. Cert points-scores and university performance in Economics. The authors recommend that the optimal scoring scheme for entry to university Economics would give more weight to Mathematics …” (more)

[Martin Ryan, Geary Behavioural Economics Blog, 19 November]

Shocking news about progression to university in Ireland

“The news from this years’ Irish Times ‘feeder lists’ is … well not news at all since it tells a depressingly familiar tale of unequal access to university …” (more)

[Kevin Denny, Geary Behavioural Economics Blog, 18 November]

Less than 15% in some Dublin areas going to college

“Less than 15% of Leaving Cert students in some poorer areas of Dublin are progressing to third level, according to the 2010 Irish Times feeder school list published today …” (more)

[Sean Flynn and Peter McGuire, Irish Times, 18 November]

Parents buying school success, figures reveal

“More than 90% of students who sat the Leaving Cert in fee-paying or grind schools went on to higher education, figures compiled by the Irish Independent reveal …” (more)

[John Walshe, Independent, 18 November]

Exam assistants giving pupils ‘unfair advantage’

“Exam assistants may be giving unfair advantage to students with special needs in the Junior and Leaving Certificate, research has suggested …” (more)

[Niall Murray, Irish Examiner, 12 November]

Low Leaving Cert points linked to college drop-outs

“Students who achieve higher points in the Leaving Cert are more likely to progress in college, a Higher Education Authority (HEA) report on drop-out rates in the third-level education sector in Ireland shows …” (more)

[Pamela Duncan, Irish Times, 28 October]

Smart economy suffers most as 10,000 students dropping out

“Thousands of students failing college courses vital to Ireland’s smart economy are among more than 10,000 who started college in September but will never graduate …” (more)

[John Walshe, Independent, 28 October]

Students face a battle for places

“As a student in the University of Limerick, I feel sympathy for the Leaving Cert students who visited the campus during the recent open days here. Following December’s Budget, when state funding to third-level institutions is expected to be cut by 3%, they will face a significant battle to secure a college place …” (more)

[Seamus Kearney, Independent, 19 October]

Grade errors keep top pupils out of college

“Some of the country’s top Leaving Certificate students have missed out on their preferred college choice for this year, because their exam papers were incorrectly marked …” (more)

[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 15 October]