The Minister for Education has issued an apology to Leaving Cert students following errors which impacted results for up to 6,500 candidates.
Minister Norma Foley confirmed that two errors occurred in this year’s calculate grades system. 7,200 grades have been affected.
Both errors related to the way in which candidates’ Junior Cycle results were included in the standardisation process.
They resulted in incorrect grades being awarded to some students when they received their results on 7 September.
Some students, estimated at 6,500, are believed to receive grades lower than they deserved. A small number of students had lower grades in more than one subject. Their results will be improved following independent checks, and the Department of Education and Skills will contact students who will be receiving the improved grades as soon as all the checks are completed.
The Minister stated that no student will receive a reduced grade in any subject as a result of this process.
Speaking today, Minister Foley said: “I want to say how sorry I am that this has happened.
“My immediate priority is to fix the errors and their consequences so that students get their correct grades.
“That is happening right now and the next steps will follow quickly.
“On my instruction, the Department of Education and Skills has commissioned independent international experts to examine aspects of the Calculated Grades System to provide further reassurances to me and to students.
“I will provide full detail on the errors, how they are being addressed and the grade upgrades as soon as I can.”
The newly-discovered error may also affect a minority of students who missed out on their first CAO choices.
Addressing the issue, the department confirmed that when the revised grades are issued, the CAO and the Higher Education Institutions will establish which students receiving corrected results would have been eligible for a higher preference offer in previous rounds of the CAO process.
The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research Innovation and Skills said it will work with the CAO and the Higher Education Institutions to determine how those students who receive upgraded results can be facilitated to commence the course that they would, otherwise have been offered in an earlier CAO round.
