It will be easier for Junior Cycle students to achieve the two top grades in their exams under changes to Junior Cycle grade bands announced by Minister for Education Helen McEntee.
Marks for the two top bands, Distinction and Higher Merit, are being widened, making them easier to attain.
The changes will come into effect for the more than 73,000 students due to sit their Junior Cycle examinations this coming June.
A Distinction will now be awarded for marks from 85% upwards. It was previously awarded for marks from 90%.
A Higher Merit will now be awarded for marks between 70% to 85%, instead of marks between 75% to 90%.
The changes have been announced as the minister prepares to address teachers at their annual trade union conferences today and tomorrow.
“This will have a positive impact on students, ensuring their grades are more reflective of their work and effort, as well as of the work of our teachers,” Ms McEntee said.
“It can be expected that higher numbers of students will achieve Distinction and Higher Merit grades with this change.
“They remain sufficiently broad to ensure that students can focus on learning and engaging in school, and on becoming independent, resourceful and confident learners, rather than focusing solely on examinations,” she added.
Ms McEntee is due to address primary school teachers attending their annual congress in Galway this morning.
She will then travel to Killarney to address post-primary ASTI delegates whose annual convention gets under way later.
Meanwhile the Teachers’ Union of Ireland begins its conference in Wexford.
Concerns around Leaving Certificate reform are expected to dominate debate at the gatherings in Killarney and Wexford.
Teachers are calling for the deferral of plans to introduce new curriculums in a range of subjects, starting this coming September, which will see at least 40% of marks in all subjects awarded on the basis of assessment as opposed to exams.
Talks took place between the teacher unions and the Department of Education and those talks are due to resume after the Easter break.
Teacher shortages and heavy workloads to be highlighted at TUI congress
The TUI will highlight concerns around teacher shortages, unsustainable workloads and Senior Cycle reform at its annual congress.
The TUI said it welcomed plans announced yesterday which would see newly qualified teachers becoming eligible for permanent contracts sooner, but added that specific additional measures are required to tackle the teacher supply crisis.
“Schools must be given enhanced teaching allocations so that they can provide full jobs,” the union said.
In terms of Senior Cycle reform, the TUI said that while it is in favour of positive reform, appropriate resources must be made available in a timely manner.
The theme of this year’s TUI Congress is ‘Address Inequality, Invest in Education’.
The conference will be addressed by Minister for Further and Higher Education James Lawless today and by Minister McEntee tomorrow.
The event will be attended by over 500 delegates and guests.
Motions will be debated on issues such as pay, pensions, housing and the conflict in Gaza.
A motion on Artificial Intelligence calls for education professionals to be equipped with the knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to integrate AI into their teaching practices.
The TUI represents 20,500 teachers and lecturers in second level schools, further education and training colleges and centres and Technological Universities/Institutes of Technology.
