Gifts to teachers to be considered an attempt to influence Leaving Cert grades
Gifts for teachers will be considered as a serious attempt to influence Leaving Cert grades under new guidelines being issued to schools today.
Detailed guidance for teachers will be issued to schools today setting out how they will be expected to grade this year's Leaving Cert class.
It will include a section on what constitutes trying to influence a teacher with gifts ahead of the exams, saying that will be treated as a serious breach of the system.
Teachers have also been seeking advice on what to do if a student or parent persistently contacts them about the classroom rankings they'll be asked to provide.
It is likely to say that any attempt by a student or parent to contact the teacher to discuss those estimated marks will be reported to and logged with the Department of Education.
Any attempts will be judged as a serious attempt to interfere with the fairness and impartiality of a teacher.
For those roughly 3,000 students who are studying an exam outside school a tutor's input will be considered in lieu of a direct teacher's grade.
Where someone is homeschooled or a teacher is a parent, for example, those will be looked at on a case by case basis, with the Department estimating there are roughly 700 such cases.
An online portal is also likely to be set up from next week where students can record the level at which they will be marked.
They will be allowed to drop a grade from higher to ordinary, or ordinary to foundation, but will not be allowed to go up a grade.
