Leaving Cert students in a Dublin school have told Workers’ Party Youth that they were pressured by their school into opting-in for both exams and calculated grades.

Eoghan Gardiner, Secretary of Workers’ Party Youth, said:

“Students were promised choice, clarity and compassion when the plan for their exams and calculated grades was announced last month. These students have had that taken away from them by being pressured into opting in for both.”

“Many students over the last month will have planned out what subjects they want to sit and which they’ll take calculated grades for and they’ve been studying accordingly. That they’re now being told they have to opt-in for both will cause a lot of unnecessary stress, worry and upset for the students.”

“The Oral exams that are to be sat over the Easter mid-term are a particular issue of concern. Many of the students, under the impression for the past month that they had a choice in whether or not to sit it, are now expected to cram all of the study necessary into a few weeks.”

“Students looking to change what they’re opting in for can wait for the change-of-mind period in April or May when the portal re-opens, or they can email candidateportal@examinations.ie explaining the situation and look to change before Tuesday, March 16th at 6pm, at which point the portal closes.”

“The Department of Education should be looking into whether or not this is a widespread problem. That students have to make these tough decisions is far from ideal anyway, but that they’re being pressured unnecessarily while doing so isn’t on.”