Minister for Education Norma Foley confirmed this week that this year’s Leaving and Junior Certificate cycles will be held as exams only.

There has been a hybrid model in place during the pandemic in both 2020 and 2021 for the Leaving Cert whereby students can choose to either sit their exams (if possible) or apply for accredited grade systems. The Minister decided to make this decision as approximately 25% of students taking this year’s Leaving Certificate will not have sat the Junior Certificate. Taoiseach Micheál Martin backed the decision insisting that it had been a very difficult year for students, but an accredited grades system could not have been applied as fairly as last year.

Staff absences caused by Covid-19, as well as the lack of experience of school during the ongoing pandemic has prompted calls for another year of a "non-traditional" Leaving Certificate exam. Minister Foley ensured that the exams would be “tailor-made” in recognition of the challenges that students are facing. She also confirmed that there would be suitable arrangements made for those who may experience a close family bereavement, Covid-19 illness and certain other categories of serious illness.

Although there have been mixed opinions on the return to a more ‘traditional’ Leaving Certificate, Minister Foley announced on Thursday that the fees for both the Junior and Leaving Certificate would be waived this year saying: "We have sought to bring clarity and certainty for students this week by confirming the arrangements for the 2022 examinations and I am pleased to confirm today that fees for this year’s State examinations are being waived."

The full timetable for this year’s exams will be published by the Government in the coming weeks.