Teachers appear to have been given further concessions in the ongoing row over Junior Cycle reform.
Leaders of the ASTI and TUI unions have agreed on a proposal with the Department of Education to resolve the ongoing dispute, which has seen two strike days.
Teachers were opposed to marking their own pupils for state certification, but Minister Jan O'Sullivan wanted them to mark 40% of the exam in-class.
It is now understood the junior cycle will be restored to being certified by the State, rather than by individual schools. Some assessment in schools will go ahead, but in a far less radical form than initially proposed.
Last week, the two teachers' unions wrote to the Minister in a bid to end the long-running row, which has seen schools close for two full days.
The ASTI and the TUI identified five key principles needed to reform the Junior Cycle, and previously referred to by Jan O'Sullivan.
They include reducing the focus on one terminal exam, giving prominence to classroom-based assessment and greater professional collaboration between teachers.
It was described as a once in a generation opportunity to reform the Junior Cycle and to move away from rote learning, but teachers unions were united in their opposition to marking their own students for state certification.
The unions will take the agreed proposal to their executives on Friday, when the Department of Education will meet with education stakeholders.