The Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh T.D. today wished good luck to all students who are sitting Leaving Certificate and Junior Cycle examinations.
Around 2,139 students will sit the Leaving Cert exams in Donegal this year. Eighty-three candidates in Donegal are also due to take their Leaving Cert Applied exams.
There are 2,389 students beginning the Junior Certificate exams in Donegal today.
Minister McHugh said: “I would like to wish all students starting their Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate examinations today the very best of luck. These exams are the culmination of many days and nights of hard work and I wish you the very best wherever they take you.
“The exams are a milestone in your education and you shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that there are many paths to a rewarding life.
“There are now more options and opportunities for you than ever before, whether your focus is on a skill, a trade, a college or university course or all the new and older apprenticeships and traineeships.
“Considerable work has been done this year, both in the Department and in the State Examinations Commission, to try and ease the levels of stress some students experiences.
“We extended the Leaving Certificate timetable by two days to minimise subject clashes and limit, as much as possible, the occasions when students have to sit three exams. We want to give students the best chance possible.
“I also announced last week a more compassionate approach for students who suffer a close family bereavement at the Leaving Certificate examinations.
“At Junior Cycle, students are sitting English and Business Studies and Science exams having already completed work accounting for 10 per cent of their marks. It is the first time this initiative has been in place and it’s just one of many small steps to improve the system.
“We are lucky to have such dedicated and professional teachers and staff in our schools. Along with parents, they put in hard work every year to help young people prepare for exams and ensure they have much-needed support.
“You also feel the stress. You all try to ensure that everything that can be done, is done. And I want to thank you all for your efforts and again the best of luck to all students sitting the state exams.”
A totla of 54,440 students nationwide are entered to sit the Leaving Certificate, including the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme whikle a further 2,709 students are entered to do the Leaving Certificate Applied.
A total of 62,562 students are entered to sit the Junior Cycle.
The examinations commence today and will continue until Wednesday, 19 June 2019 for Junior Cycle and Tuesday, 25 June 2019 for Leaving Certificate.
As part of a new pilot measure to assist bereaved students, candidates who suffer the death of a close relative during the examinations, or in the two days prior to the beginning of examinations, will be able to sit alternative examinations in July if they wish.
This could be in respect of examinations falling to be sat for up to a three-day period during the June written examination timetable, from the date of death up to and including the day after the funeral.
The results of the Leaving Certificate will be issued on Tuesday, 13 August 2019 and will be available on line from 10am that day. This is one day earlier than the normal date of issue to facilitate the shortened Leaving Certificate appeals timeline, which is being brought back by 3 weeks in 2019. As a result, CAO offers will also issue earlier than normal, with Round 1 offers issuing on Thursday, 15 August.
It is planned to issue Junior Cycle results in late September.
The examinations are overseen by the State Examinations Commission. More information is available at www.examinations.ie
Tags: