SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood has welcomed the decision by Education Minister Peter to scrap GCSE, AS and A-Levels due to take place this year.
But the Foyle MP said the 11 th hour decision should have been by the Minister should have happened a lot sooner.
Said Mr Eastwood: “This was the right thing to do.
“But it’s unacceptable that this decision wasn’t taken sooner.
“Young people and their parents given mixed messaging and left in limbo for far too long.”
Sinn Fein’s Education Spokesperson Karen Mullan has welcomed the news that GCSE, AS and A-level exams will not go ahead in the North of Ireland this year.
Said the Foyle MLA: “This decision not to go ahead with this year’s GCSE, AS and A-level because of the pandemic and the disruption to young people’s education is the right thing to do.
“Exams are stressful at any time but, this year, young people have been placed under so much more stress and worry as a result of Covid and its impact on their education.”
She said the education minister must now bring ahead “credible alternative arrangements” and called for the AQE post-primary transfer test to be scrapped as well.
