Minister must bring certainty to exams fiasco - Tully

A local TD has branded the errors in the calculated grades system, revealed in the Dáil yesterday, as a "fiasco".

Sinn Féin's Deputy Pauline Tully says that solutions need to be found for Leaving Cert students affected by errors in the calculated grades system.

"The latest fiasco surrounding this year's Leaving Certificate is an extraordinary development," Teachta Tully said. "Leaving Cert students have borne much in the past year - there has been uncertainty, the repeated rescheduling of exams, the confusion surrounding the exam marking model to be utilised and the delay in issuing results.

The former teacher said that her party had argued against the calculated grades model in in May, claiming it would prove to be "a crude device" which would result in students incorrectly missing out.

“The allocation of third-level places, in our view, should have been determined through maximising college and university places, and these institutions assessing students to allocate places for high demand courses.

"The Minister for Education persisted with the calculated grades model which has resulted in persistent difficulty. The failings have become very apparent and this is the latest chapter in this sorry saga."

She criticised the minister's handling of the problem.

"It is not credible or acceptable that the Minister for Education knew about these errors last Tuesday, yet only made this information public Wednesday.

"Procedures such as these should contain proper tests and safeguards. How did this situation come about? It’s not satisfactory to simply say this was missed."

Clarity

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Minister Foley said the relevant departments will ensure a maximum number of places will be available in this academic year. However the Fianna Fáil minister accepted there some students may have to defer, but it was too early to make that call.

Deputy Tully insists that Minister Foley needs to bring "clarity and certainty" for students affected.

"She needs to find solutions for those affected and she needs to tell students and their families how she will fix this.

"It would be manifestly unfair to deny students who should have attained their preferred third-level places access to their chosen courses.

“The Minister needs to make it clear that these students will not miss out and spell out how this will be achieved; without penalising those who have already been allocated places."