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A-levels: Welsh exams board calls for NI ban to be reversed

BBC Student taking A-Level examBBC
Summer GCSE, AS and A-level exams in Northern Ireland are cancelled due to Covid-19

The chief executive of the Welsh exams board WJEC has asked the education minister to reverse a decision banning its qualifications in Northern Ireland.

Peter Weir has told schools they can no longer offer WJEC qualifications from September 2022.

But WJEC chief executive Ian Morgan said Mr Weir's move would have "a significant and lasting impact".

Pupils in Northern Ireland currently take 16 AS or A-level qualifications through WJEC in a range of subjects.

Both the Governing Bodies Association (GBA) and NI Drama have also urged the minister to reconsider.

Mr Weir previously said he had taken his decision because WJEC did not consult the Department of Education (DE) in Northern Ireland about how it would award pupils results this year after summer exams were cancelled in 2021.

He said no pupils currently taking AS or A-levels through WJEC would be affected.

But in a letter to Mr Weir seen by BBC News NI, Mr Morgan said that about 150 schools in Northern Ireland used WJEC qualifications.

'Taken aback'

He also said that following the Welsh Education Minister Kirsty Williams' decision to cancel summer exams, "WJEC clearly outlined the options that it was willing to provide to learners taking the WJEC AS/A level qualifications in Northern Ireland".

He said schools in Northern Ireland were given the option to have the same arrangements as Wales or to take exams.

"We did not receive confirmation from policy makers about which of these options we should offer centres in Northern Ireland," Mr Morgan wrote.

"We were therefore taken aback to read of your decision to no longer permit centres in Northern Ireland to take our WJEC AS/A-level qualifications.

"Given the strong feelings expressed by teachers in Northern Ireland, we would ask you to reconsider this decision for the benefit of your learners."

Mr Morgan also said he would welcome further dialogue with Mr Weir in order to find a "fair resolution".

The majority of AS and A-level qualifications in Northern Ireland are taken through the local CCEA exams board.

But schools can also enter pupils for qualifications through English exam boards as well as WJEC.

Schools in Northern Ireland use WJEC for AS and A-levels in subjects including sociology, computer science, physical education (PE), psychology, business, drama music and economics.