ASTI President congratulates Leaving Cert students
‘You have endured much uncertainty. Your teachers are proud of you today’
ASTI President Eamon Dennehy has sent a message of congratulations to approximately 60,000 Leaving Certificate students who are receiving their results today (Friday, September 3rd):
“The past 18 months have been extremely tough for this year’s Leaving Cert students. You have had to cope with significant disruption and uncertainty. Today marks your entry to the next stage of your lives, with all of its opportunities. Your teachers are very proud of you today.”
Mr Dennehy welcomed the recent statement by the Minister for Education Norma Foley that she intends that Leaving Cert 2022 will go ahead as normal:
“Young people deserve a State Exams process that is consistent with their expectations and that they can trust. External assessment administered by the State Exams Commission ensures that the Leaving and Junior Cert exams processes remains transparent, objective and fair.”
Budget 2022 – opportunity to prioritise young people
The ASTI President called on the Government to prioritise young people in the rebuilding of Ireland’s society and economy. “We must protect and maintain our education system. Ireland performs well in international comparisons of second-level students’ learning outcomes. However, our track record for investment in education is abysmal. The most recent OECD report Education at a Glance 2020 finds Ireland in 35th place out of 35 countries for investment in second-level education as a proportion of GDP.”
“This underfunding of our schools has a disproportionate negative impact on less advantaged students; something which has been exacerbated during the pandemic. The Government must do better in this regard, otherwise many of our young people will experience life-long consequences.”
Mr Dennehy concluded with a message for students receiving their results today: “This is a day to celebrate as a key milestone in your life. I urge you to keep yourself and those around you safe.”
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