12/08/2009

Leaving Cert Results Released Today

Nails are being bitten and nerves are frayed as Ireland's 57,500 Leaving Cert students await the arrival of their Leaving Certificate exam results today.

The coming results have retained the pattern of the past few years, with low levels of achievement in maths and science. Only 16% of students sat higher-level maths paper, while another year of low uptake of physics and chemistry at higher level augmented poor results in the science subjects overall.

The poor results in maths and science bodes poorly for the Government's continuing push for Ireland to become a European "Innovation Hub".

Despite this, the Minister for Education and Science, Batt O'Keeffe, has congratulated students, parents and teachers on their results.

"Students across the country getting their results today should be proud of their achievements in the Leaving Certificate examinations and embrace the future with confidence and a sense of mission," said Minister O'Keeffe.

"I'd urge students who've performed well in the Leaving Certificate in relevant subjects to consider courses in the science, technology and engineering sectors. These areas offer qualifications vital to economic recovery and growth, with exciting career prospects for graduates," he added.

The Education minister also had a message for those affected by the much-publicised emergency rescheduling of the second English paper, after the paper was given to some students in error.

Minister O'Keeffe said he was pleased that the English results were broadly in line with previous years despite the embarrassing mistake, and that it "attests strongly to the resilience and adaptability of our young people and they've every reason to be proud of themselves."

With the first round of offers due out next week, Minister O' Keeffe said students who do not get the results they hoped for should not despair.

Students began receiving their Leaving Certificate results in schools around the country from 9am this morning.

They will be available online from 12pm at www.examinations.ie

(DW/BMcc)

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