Students with special needs will be "branded" by having a note put on their Leaving Certificate results which states that because of their disability they were not assessed in certain areas of the exam, according to the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI).
The plan by the Department of Education to modify the certificates of special needs students takes effect for the first time this year. For example, a deaf student who does not take part in the aural section of a language exam will have that recorded on their certificate.
The TUI president, Mr Joe Carolan, said such a note was "not required in earlier years and there is no reason for its introduction now". He said students began their Leaving Cert programme in the belief they would get a conventional certificate. The union said the plan should be deferred pending further discussions.
"To change the regulations midway through the course is unfair and unacceptable. Such a notation of certificates amounts to branding of certain special-needs students," said Mr Carolan.