Students sitting the Leaving Cert: the marking of exams is to return slowly to pre-Covid norms, starting in 2025 The pandemic has had lots of knock-on effects, not least in education. But, whereas many other aspects of life have returned to normal, the education system is still dealing with the fallout, particularly when it comes to Leaving Cert grade inflation.
It has also affected cross-border mobility by making it much harder for students in North Ireland to access universities in the Republic, given that A-level results have long since returned to normal levels. In addition, it has created false expectation for some students who have ended up struggling in demanding college courses and dropped out.
While the UK moved to return to more normal results in recent years, Foley has belatedly announced a plan to phase out grade inflation, beginning next year, when the aim will be to have results between 2020 and 2021 levels, with further adjustments planned for later years depending on the 2025 experience.