Junior Cert results will not be released until November 23rd

Tens of thousands of students will have to wait until November 23rd to receive their Junior Cycle results, five months after they sat the exams.

Although marking is completed in almost all subjects, it has been continuing in a small number of them.

The unprecedented delay in releasing the results for 68,000 students is linked to a shortage of examiners along with a decision to prioritise the marking of Leaving Cert scripts. In the past, Junior Cert results were traditionally issued in September.

The State Examinations Commission (SEC) confirmed on Tuesday that results will be available in schools on Wednesday, November 23rd and online from 4pm.

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The delay this year is a source of frustration for many school leaders and students who say issuing results five months after the assessments devalues the exam process.

They say Junior Cycle results are also crucial for students who skip transition year in forming decisions on subject choices, or for students who wish to pursue apprenticeships or traineeships.

[ State exams review to focus on boosting examiner numbers as wait continues for Junior Cert results ]

The Irish Times reported on Monday that the results would be delayed until well after the mid-term break.

Minister for Education Norma Foley last week pledged to establish a “root-and-branch” review into the marking of State exams. This will focus on how to boost examiner numbers and provide greater certainty over the future release of results.

She said the number of teachers available to work as examiners was significantly below what was required to mark papers during the normal summer window.

“Once the Junior Cycle results are out there will be a full and comprehensive review seeking ways to ascertain how best we can encourage and support more examiners to come on board to be part of the system,” she said last week. “Equally so, it will look at the whole question around dates and timing and everything else.”

When asked if higher rates of pay were a way to attract more teachers to marking roles, Ms Foley said there has been an increase in correcting rates.

“I absolutely accept that people should be paid appropriately. And for that reason, the rates of pay have significantly improved. Notwithstanding that, I think it is greater than that ... there is extraordinary benefit from availing of correcting roles.”

The SEC warned it was facing a shortfall in applications from teachers seeking to work as examiners across all subjects just weeks before the Junior Cycle and Leaving Cert exams got under way in June this year.

All qualified teachers are eligible to apply for examiner positions, and successful candidates are selected on the basis of their teaching and assessment experience and qualifications.

[ Spare a thought for the Junior Cycle students of 2022 ]

The exams body confirmed to The Irish Times during the summer that a “small proportion” of the 4,000-plus examiners this year included unqualified trainee teachers.

Teacher union sources say a combination of an “exhausting” academic year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, taxation rules and limited opportunity for travel expenses may have affected the number of teachers available.

Ms Foley said she wanted to work collaboratively with teachers to explore the opportunities around marking exams. She added that a number of questions would be examined in the review, including whether a second set of Leaving Cert exams would be held in future.

Examination authorities say they have been forced to prioritise the marking of Leaving Cert appeals scripts in September due to their direct impact on accessing further and higher education, as well as a 2019 court judgment that obliges authorities to fast-track appeal results.