NEW PLANS WILL MAKE IT HARDER TO FAIL HIGHER LEVEL LEAVING CERT PAPERS
Higher level Leaving Certificate students are due to be given points, even if they fail their papers.
The Education Minister is due to bring plans to Cabinet tomorrow which would see pupils given CAO points for a mark of between 30 and 39 percent on honours papers.
Up until now, only grades of over 40 percent earned points for third level applications.
It is hoped the scheme will encourage more students to take Higher Level exams, and it could be in force for 5th Year pupils as soon as September.
Irish Times education columnist Brian Mooney says he expects colleges will sign up to the plan.
“The minister will advise Cabinet in relation to the propsals that are being made, but ultimately it comes down to each indiviudal college” he said.
“But I suspect that once it gets into the public arena it’ll be very, very difficult for any one indiviudal college to vote not to accept these changes”.
“Obviously, the whole system operates on the basis that everyone accepts the same structure” he added.
