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Deputy Norma Foley.
FIANNA Fáil TD Norma Foley is calling on universities, institutes of technology and third level colleges to bring in ‘No Detriment Policies’ to ease the pressure on students in completing assignments, assessments and online exams for this semester.
Deputy Foley explained; “Students here are extremely worried about their exams given the events of recent weeks. With all campuses closed, they have limited access to books and journals and the cost of finding these online is expensive – one student who contacted me paid €54 to access one journal. He explained that he needed at least 20 more to prepare for his upcoming exams but the cost was just too expensive.
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“Students’ study habits have also been disrupted, and while exam time is always stressful, this year the worry and anxiety has been increased, with students confined to home, many with poor Broadband access, unable to meet with classmates and without the necessary access to libraries, study labs and other on campus supports.
“A number of universities in the UK have introduced a ‘No Detriment Policy’; this ensures that as long as a student passes their exams this year, this grade will not negatively impact their overall result. In other words, the average grade students have achieved to date will remain the same, may be improved but not reduced.
“I believe our own third level institutions should adopt a similar approach to acknowledge the exceptional circumstances in which we find ourselves, and I am calling on them to give this proposal serious consideration”.
