More than 120,000 students have begun their Leaving and Junior Certificate examinations. Papers were delivered to centres around the country early this morning for the English exam which started around nine a.m.
The total number taking the Leaving Cert is slightly up this year, due to the large numbers of mature students taking the exam. Over 5,000 "external candidates" are sitting the exam.
For the first time, the exams are being overseen the State Examinations Commission (SEC), a new body which has taken on the department's 150 exams branch staff, in a move to make the process more independent. When the Junior Cert is taken into account, the SEC will be dealing with nearly one million exam papers encompassing 67 subjects. The entire operation will cost €40 million.
The results of the Leaving Cert exams will be known on August 13th, after which the Central Applications Office will begin processing candidates' results to determine college places, with the Junior Cert results due in mid-September.
Minister for Education and Science, Mr Dempsey, today wished students "the very best of luck" in the Examinations. He urged parents and students to "keep things in perspective". ASTI President PJ Sheehy advised students to "think positively" and to ensure that a good routine and habits are stuck to during the exam period to "help relieve stress and improve your performance".