The Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) is a self-contained two-year programme of the Irish Department of Education and Skills. It was first introduced in 1995. According to the Department, the programme is intended to meet the needs of those pupils who either choose not to opt for other Leaving Certificate Programmes.
The programme is aimed at young people who have completed the Junior Certificate and students who have taken a FÁS course.
According to The Irish Examiner News, 2,965 students recently took exams for the Leaving Certificate Applied. Overall, according to the article, roughly 57,000 students recently took exams for the Irish Leaving Certificate.
References
Leaving Certificate Applied Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA