Number sitting Leaving Cert and State exams rises again in Laois

Nearly 2,500 students began their Junior and Leaving Certificate examinations in Laois this morning. 

Figures from the State Exams Commission (SEC) show that the number of students taking the Leaving, Junior and Leaving Cert Applied (LCA) exams is up again this year with 2,424 entered compared with 2,332 in 2023.

There are more Junior Certificate students, in total 1,308,  sitting exams in Laois than Leaving Cert students, 1,113 of whom will begin their exams. There are 103 LCA students in Laois.

Nationally, the Commission says that some 136,160 exam candidates were due to commence their examinations across the country in 5,849 main and some 9,500 special examination centres through the network of over 800 post-primary schools, and other venues recognised by the SEC

About 4 million examination papers were distributed in advance of the written examinations which started on June 5.

The examinations will run until Tuesday 25 June for Leaving Certificate; Thursday 13 June for Leaving Certificate Applied; and Monday 17 June for Junior Cycle examinations.

This year sees another record number of candidates due to sit examinations which is linked to demographic increases, with the numbers entered passing 136,000 for the first time. The number expected to sit the 2024 certificate examinations has increased by 1% compared to last year’s entry figure of 135,033 candidates.

The most significant increases in the cohorts entered for the Leaving Certificate Applied programme (+6%) and the Junior Cycle programme (+3%).

Speaking before the start of the examinations Mr. Martin Sisk, interim Chairperson of the SEC said: “There is no doubt that the State Examinations are a landmark event in the lives of young people and their families.

"On behalf of my fellow Commissioners and all of the staff of the SEC, I wish to offer sincere best wishes to all those taking the certificate examinations this year and also to the parents, guardians, and families who have supported candidates through their educational journey up to this point,” he said.

As already announced, the SEC intends to issue the 2024 Leaving Certificate and Leaving Certificate Applied examination results to candidates on Friday 23 August which is in line with the date of issue of the results in 2023.

Following the announcement in April by Minister for Education Norma Foley TD, that the overall 2024 Leaving Certificates results in the aggregate will be no lower on average than those in 2023, the SEC will again apply a post-marking adjustment after all marking in the Leaving Certificate examinations is completed.

The results of the Leaving Certificate have been maintained at 2021 levels through the application of a post-marking adjustment in both 2022 and 2023. This requires a process of analysis to be undertaken on the marks achieved in the examinations and, on foot of this analysis, an adjustment to the marks awarded to candidates through the marking process.

The date for the release of the 2024 Junior Cycle results will be announced at a later date.