Secondary students may soon find themselves giving presentations and interviews instead of sitting traditional exams under planned changes to the curriculum.

Over the next eight years, the standard June examinations for the Junior Cert are to be phased out and the Irish Independent reports officials are planning to replace them with a digital portfolio of work assessed by teachers.

Consisting of Powerpoint-style presentations, interviews and oral assessments, the e-portfolio will be produced in second year, a time when some students may begin to become disenchanted with school life.

Initially, it will be worth 40 per cent of the marks in second year, with standard exams accounting for the other 60 per cent.

English will be the first subject to adopt the new assessment methods, but it is anticipated other subjects will follow in the near future.

Despite opposition from some teachers to the idea of assessing their own pupils, it is thought the new examinations will be implemented for English for the school year beginning September 2014.

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