Despite opposition, the Leaving Cert oral exams are to be held during Easter holidays
Commenting on the controversial decision, Minister Norma Foley, said it was agreed upon to limit the disruption to normal teaching during term in the run-up to exams.
“I am very conscious of the huge commitment of teachers to undertake the critical work of examining and as Minister I want to thank teachers for their engagement in this work every year,” she said.
Parents and students alike are unhappy with this change noting that children need a break from the high-pressure of the Leaving Cert.
The Irish Second Level Student’s Union (ISSU) claimed that holding the oral exam during the break will only stress students out further noting that those with more than one assessment will have less time to prepare.
Before the pandemic, oral language exams were held during school time either before or after the school Easter holidays, depending on how early or late Easter fell.
However, exam authorities moved the orals to the holiday period in 2022 for the first time due to acute shortages in sourcing substitute cover during the pandemic.
Many schools, however, are understood to have strongly supported keeping oral exams during the holiday period as they won’t have to source hard-to-find substitute teachers to fill in for staff who conduct the oral exams in other schools.
A Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) survey of it’s members found that 84 per cent of respondents agreed with a move back to pre-pandemic timing.
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