Students and teachers will wear masks for Leaving Cert oral exams after U-turn

Exam chiefs have changed their mind about face coverings for the Leaving Cert orals and students and teachers will now wear masks.

It is an about turn on guidance issued to schools last week stating that masks should not be worn, following concerns expressed by teachers.

Instead, the State Examinations Commission (SEC) advised schools that Perspex screens should be placed between the student and the teacher recording the oral test.

The oral exams start on Friday, March 26 and run until April 15 and Leaving Cert Applied (LCA) orals will run in May.

Other than in exceptional circumstances, the orals are taking place face to face, and schools have been told to maintain a two metre distance between the interviewer and the candidate.

However, while mask wearing is the norm in post-primary schools, the initial advice from the SEC was that it was not appropriate for the orals.

The SEC said masks would interfere with proper and clear communication and with the creation of a clear recording that properly showed the candidate’s level of communicative proficiency

However, it told schools to use Perspex screens and to ensure that rooms were adequately ventilated.

The SEC instructions around mask wearing caused anxiety among teachers who will be conducting the orals.

The French Teachers Association (FTA) said it had been contacted by members regarding health and safety of teachers and students if they there not wearing masks during the orals.

The association said many teachers felt it was contrary to public health advice and were concerned it could result in them transmitting the Covid virus to vulnerable members of their household.

“They also risk infecting their students. While some teachers can tell their school management about their concerns, others, living in the same community as their students or on part-time contracts, are more hesitant,” sad Eimear Holly, secretary of FTA. national executive.

New guidance is now being issued to schools.

Education Minister Norm Foley announced the change and said it was important that both students and staff felt comfortable during the orals.

She said “in addition to public health advice issued last week, the SEC had introduced a requirement for both interviewer and student to wear face masks during the entirety of the interview, except in cases where students are already exempted from wearing masks”.

This year, as part of the public health measures being undertaken to hold the exams safely, the orals are being organised by schools.

Teachers will conduct the interview and send a recording to the SEC for marking.

Online Editors