Some 55,000 students who received their Junior Cert results today have been urged to celebrate sensibly.
As teenagers across the country prepared to mark the end of the long wait for their results, Minister for Education Batt O'Keeffe called on students not to put themselves at risk.
“I hope that students will celebrate sensibly and not let their parents or themselves down," Mr O'Keeffe said. They should celebrate with their families and close friends and not put themselves or others at risk.”
Teenagers thronged venues holding special results night celebrations for the underage partygoers. Gardaí said the night had been reasonably quiet so far, but cautioned it was still early. Some venues were refusing entry to teenagers who were visibly drunk.
Future Junior Cert students may see some changes, Mr O'Keeffe signalling his support for a shake-up of the exam with fewer subjects and a move away from traditional rote learning.
Mr O’Keeffe has asked the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment to review the exam. He wants the council to review international practice and examine the issue of overload and time for active learning.
There will be concern about the high percentages failing key subjects at ordinary level. Over 7 per cent, or close to 4,000 pupils, failed ordinary-level maths, while over 12 per cent failed ordinary level French.
Failure rates were also high in metalwork (14 per cent), technical graphics (10 per cent), environmental and social studies (8.5 per cent) and business (7 per cent).
The honours rate or the percentage gaining an A, B or C grade at higher level – is slightly down to 78 per cent in maths and to 77 per cent in science. In all, 77 per cent of students secured an honour in English and 81 per cent gained an honour in business.
This year, 12 students secured nine A grades in the Junior Cert. Over 1,000 students gained eight A grades or more in the exam.
The results tend to undermine the common view that the Junior Cert is much “easier” than the Leaving Cert. In fact, the honours rates in several Junior Cert subjects – Irish, French, history and maths – is lower than in the Leaving Cert exams.
Mr O'Keeffe said he was heartened to see that 87 per cent of students had taken science, with the vast majority sitting the higher level paper.
"The practical elements of the exam, which account for up to a third of the marks, certainly takes pressure off students during the final exam," he said.
President of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) Joe Moran congratulated all the students, teachers and parents involved in this year’s exam this morning.
“The Junior Certificate gives students their first experience of the State Examinations process and is invaluable in guiding them to become independent learners. A wide range of educational and life opportunities lie ahead for each and every student receiving their Junior Certificate results today,” he said.
He expressed concern about the impact of the education cutbacks on education.
“The increase in the pupil teacher ratio means larger classes for every student, the abolition of the Junior Certificate Schools Programme grant will affect marginalised and disadvantaged Junior Cycle students and will mean some students will be at increased risk of dropping out, and the cap on language support teachers will negatively affect newcomer students at a crucial time in their education,” he said.