Junior Certificate results and Irish
September 21, 2011
Almost 4,300 students did a Junior Certificate Irish oral exam in 2011. Examination results for the Junior Certificate were received by 56,930 students who sat them this year and the statistics published by the Examinations board show interesting results regarding Irish.
A total of 48,349 students sat the Irish Paper (including Higher, Ordinary and Foundation level) last June. 80.6% of 23,931 students achieved a grade A, B or C in the higher level paper. Out of the 22,488 students who sat the ordinary level paper, 77.2% achieved a grade A, B, or C. A total of 76.3% of the 1,930 students who sat the Foundation level paper achieved a grad A, B or C.
The students who sat the Irish Paper in the Junior Certificate were given the option of doing an oral examination. This recently introduced option has seen an increase in students opting to do the oral test. An increase of 2,589 students from 1,687 students in 2010 to 4,276 students in 2011 opted to take the Irish oral exam. An increase was also noted in the amount of schools who offered the oral examination from 54 in 2010 to 94 in 2011.
The increase may be associated with students looking for experience in Irish language oral examinations before sitting the leaving cert which will place a greater emphasis on spoken Irish in the subject. A total of 40% of the marks will now go towards the Irish oral exam at leaving certificate level.
Commenting on the recently published statistics Saffron Rosenstock of Comhar na Múinteoirí Gaeilge said ‘ Having oral Irish examinations at Junior Cert is great preparation for students sitting their orals in the leaving cert.’
Gaelport
