Minister can no longer be a spectator to Junior Cert fiasco
The ongoing delay in issuing results for the Junior Certificate shows blatant disrespect towards the thousands of students who sat their exams in June, according to Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon.
Deputy Gannon, who is the party’s spokesperson on Education, said:
“The students who sat their exams four months ago deserve to have their results given to them in a timely manner. We are now into October and, not only are the results not out, but the State Examinations Commission (SEC) isn’t even in a position to give a date for when they will be available.
“This is highly disrespectful towards a cohort of students who experienced severe disruption to their education during Covid-19 and were the first to sit traditional Junior Cert exams in three years.
“It is simply not good enough for the SEC to say that the results will be issued in due course without giving a specific date.
“All the uncertainty has caused high levels of anxiety for many students, particularly those who went straight into fifth year and may be depending on their results to determine if they should opt for higher or ordinary level subjects for the Leaving Certificate.
“The Government’s blasé attitude calls into the question the future viability of the Junior Cert and will only serve to demotivate students and add to the sense of abandonment they must be feeling.
“The situation has now gone beyond a joke. The Minister for Education can no longer continue to be a spectator to this fiasco and must immediately intervene to end the uncertainty.”
October 5, 2022