It is the strangest start to the Leaving Cert ever. There may be plenty of traditional first-day nerves, but they will find a soft landing on the cushion of accredited grades being prepared for all students. Exam season kicks off in earnest today, with up to 55,000 of this year’s candidates entered to sit one or both of the first two papers, English Paper One and Home Economics. The 61,500 includes 58,342 students entered for the traditional Leaving Cert and 3,177 candidates doing the Leaving Cert Applied (LCA) programme. While traditional examiners will mark the papers, accredited grades will be delivered through a process to be implemented by US consultants, Educational Testing Services.

Source: Irish Independent June 09, 2021 01:39 UTC