James Cox
Plans for further discussions about this year's Leaving Cert are a 'step in the right direction' towards some form of hybrid model examination.
That's according to the National Parent's Council Post Primary, which has been calling for allowing students to have a choice between a calculated grade and sitting the exam.
The Department of Education met with stakeholders yesterday, which was described as a 'really positive discussion'.
Paul Rolston, communications director with the National Parents Council Post Primary, believes an exam only model this year wouldn't be fair.
He told Newstalk: "The level of discussion is varied so much across the country, it's pretty impossible to offer either the junior cycle or the Leaving Certificate students any fairness across the board through just a standard traditional type exam, so a hybrid model has to be put in place to ensure fairness."
Stakeholders
Meanwhile, the Irish Second Level Students Union is hoping a decision on this year's Leaving Cert is made soon.
It was in the stakeholders advisory group that met the Education Minister last night to discuss the format of the exams.
The Irish Second Level Students Union wants a mix of written exams and accredited grades this summer, but Norma Foley hasn't made a decision yet.
Its president Emer Neville said this hybrid format is the best option.
Ms Neville said: "We'd like to see a hybrid model, we recently surveyed our membership students have showed us that they want a hybrid model, 68 per cent of Leaving Cert students who responded to the survey said they would like to see this, so that is what we're advocating for. The individual choice of taking a written examination or having an accredited or calculated grade."
