The Ulster Unionist Party’s Education Spokesperson, Robbie Butler MLA, has called on the Education Minister to provide urgent clarity on whether or not examinations have been cancelled.   

Robbie Butler said:

“Over the past number of days, I have become increasingly concerned that a commitment given by the Minister for Education that examinations for this year's students had been cancelled, will in reality see the original exams replaced with another form of examination scenario.

“On Tuesday the 2nd of February the Minister for Education, Peter Weir, made a welcome announcement to the NI Assembly that examinations for years 11 through to 14 had been cancelled. He opened his remarks by saying “I wish to make a statement to outline to this house the arrangements for awarding CCEA qualifications this summer, in the absence of examinations." This statement was widely welcomed by educators and students alike and followed an earlier statement in January that GCSE and A-Level exams would be cancelled.

“It is therefore worrying that teachers, parents and students have contacted me with serious concerns that timetables being published by some schools and early indications from some interpretations of CCEA awarding guidance, suggests that optionality for taking assessment may not be open to many students.

“There can be no dispute that students awaiting awards this year have faced even more disruption than last year's GCSE and A-Level students, yet it seems that the promises made earlier this year may now ring hollow for many of them. There is a clear need for reassurance from the Minister and CCEA in order to provide clarity and confidence to teachers and students in particular with regard to optionality to take assessment in examination style conditions or not. We also need to establish with certainty what confidence can be given to teachers about the veracity of evidence leading to teacher awarded grades and how equity will be achieved across schools that ensures those students who have been most disrupted by Covid are not further disadvantaged by unfair process.”