Thousands of Kildare students receive Junior Cert results today

ABOVE: Students at St Mary's College, Naas

The nervous wait will soon be over for thousands of secondary level students as they receive their Junior Cert results this morning.

ASTI President Breda Lynch has sent a message of congratulations to all students.

She said: “You have passed a significant milestone in your life. Today you receive your first State-certified qualification: well done!”

The ASTI President said the Junior Certificate is an independent, objective and fair statement of students’ efforts after three years of second-level education. It is valued by parents, students and teachers and assists students in making choices about their futures.

However the President said the ASTI is concerned that as the Framework for Junior Cycle enters its fourth year, schools are still struggling in substandard conditions and with inadequate resources.

“The Framework for Junior Cycle requires school learning environments which are conducive to active-learning methodologies and collaborative work, yet schools and teachers are dealing with overcrowded classrooms, reduced teacher numbers, inadequate science facilities, lack of proper PE facilities and much more,” said Breda Lynch. “We intend to pursue these issues vigorously with the Department of Education and Skills, along with our longstanding concerns about aspects of the Framework for Junior Cycle, including its impact on teaching time, increased workload pressures for teachers and our concern about maintaining education standards.”

Finally, the ASTI President urged all students celebrating their Junior Cert results today to act responsibly: “Today is a proud day for you, your parents and your teachers. In all celebrations, I urge you to be safe, act responsibly and keep your parents informed.”