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Deputy Norma Foley.
KERRY Fianna Fáil TD, Norma Foley says students are being left in the dark on how the Leaving Certificate examinations will operate at the end of the month and clarity is needed from the Department of Education.
“Leaving Cert students are currently experiencing unnecessarily heightened levels of stress and anxiety due to a lack of preparedness and planning by the Department of Education some eight weeks after schools closed on March 12th,” said Deputy Foley who maintains it is inexcusable that students must prepare for exams in an information vacuum.
“There is absolutely no clarity for students as to how exactly the Leaving Cert exams will operate. Amazingly, the only information currently to hand is the July 29th date, nothing more,” she claimed.
Deputy Foley confirmed she has been inundated with queries from students, parents and teachers as regards how exams will operate. The Kerry TD has highlighted a myriad of these concerns to the Minister, some of which include the following:
• As Public Health Stay Safe measures now advise that no gathering of people can extend beyond 2hrs, does this now mean that all subject exams will be for a maximum of 120mins?
• If the 2hr exam time frame is to operate what exactly will now be examined in each subject? Will all exam topicsappear on the paper allowing students to select their preferences?
• What plans are in place for students and teachers who may have underlying conditions or, indeed, for students and teachers who may have a family member with an underlying condition?
• What measures are in place to handle a situation if a student or supervisor takes ill? If this occurs will all those in the exam centre be required to be tested/self-isolate etc.?
• Has the Minister sufficient stock of appropriate PPE available for each exam centre?
• Will the Minister concede it is neither fair nor possible for practical, project and coursework to be examined at this late stage? Full marks were awarded for the practical element of Music and Irish and foreign language orals. Students deserve equal treatment and consequently full marks should be awarded in subjects with a practical element.
• As regards results what provision is being made for students who have been awarded places to study abroad (beginning in August) and do not have the option to defer?
“Leaving Cert students are currently living in a state of Limbo. In the interest of the health and wellbeing of all concerned now is the time for full disclosure of plans by the Department of Education. Students, parents and teachers deserve nothing less,” concluded Deputy Foley.
Kerry Fianna Fáil TD, Norma Foley what are you thinking! not of the bigger picture! Is that what you are paid to do!
So called politicians, like yourself are too busy cocooning / destroying the economy.
Australia has awakened to the reality of overreaction to the virus and the long tern damage to their economy and of course are taking action fast.
I advise politicians like Fianna Fáil TD, Norma Foley to stop this cocooning nonsense as it is an over reaction at this point from an unpopular leader who should be stuck in a GP’s practice not running our country into the ground.
Cocooning, is economic isolationism at it’s best and just self destruction at this point. Besides, we share border with northern Ireland (another jurisdiction) and we are still allowing international flights – so we are not cocooned in the correct way!
Let the Leaving Certificate examinations occur as life must go on and this new generation can be weaken or strengthened, given or denied opportunity, sooner or later life must continue with this virus as there will be no cure for at least another year at best.
The same students as they mature, will rightly come to resent Ireland for this overreaction when they have to emigrate their homeland for the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain like so many before them due to due to the bad political decisions of the past concerning the Irish economy!
‘We’re told to not panic’ but a million Australians ‘have incurred coronavirus damage’:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nQbajhz250