A range of special concessions for Leaving Cert students affected by this year's ASTI dispute has been demanded by parents, as over 120,000 students today begin State examinations.
The National Parents Council - Post Primary (NPCPP) has written to the Department of Education demanding:
Extra CAO points for students affected by the dispute.
Bonus marks in the exam for students hit by the ASTI action.
Fees for rechecking exam scripts to be waived by the Minister for Education, Dr Woods.
Most secondary school students lost 13 schooldays this year because of the dispute.
However, the Department of Education has ruled out any special treatment for this year's students.
"If this year's group were treated differently, the value of the whole exam could be undermined," said one senior education source last night. The Department has yet to respond formally to the parents' letter.
Last night, Ms Barbara Johnston, NPCPP secretary, said her organisation had written to the Department demanding to know how it could ensure a "level playing field" for all students.
"The exam is supposed to treat everyone equally, but it is clear those students in schools affected by the ASTI action have lost out," said Ms Johnston.
Meanwhile, a group of Cork-based parents stepped up pressure on the marking issue. Ms Geraldine McNamara, their spokeswoman, said students affected by the ASTI dispute should receive a 10 per cent increase in their CAO points.
She also said fees normally charged to have papers rechecked in September should be waived by the Minister for Education, Dr Woods.
A total of 58,300 students will sit this year's Leaving, the lowest for a decade. Over 62,000 will sit the Junior Cert.
Meanwhile, the employers' body, IBEC, warned that declining numbers of students taking science subjects was "beginning to have a serious impact".
It said urgent action at national level was required to halt the slide. Only 8,768 candidates are taking physics this year, with 6,668 doing chemistry.