Junior Cert Science: Special emphasis was placed on the practical elements of science in yesterday's Junior Cert science papers, making way for the implementation of a new syllabus in the coming year.

According to Ray McGough of the Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI), who teaches at the Magh Ene College, Bundoran, Donegal the papers were well received by pupils and teachers with "nothing controversial" cropping up.

This is the last year of the old syllabus.A state-of-the-art syllabus has been designed for the coming year which will exclude the applied science section and place more emphasis on the practical aspects of science.

Students will have to conduct 30 practical experiments and to submit two of their own practicals as part of the exam. While the ordinary level paper was seen as student friendly, the higher level paper was considered challenging.

In section B, question five of the higher level paper, both parts had focused on electricity, leaving some students at a clear disadvantage.

There was also some confusion about a diagram in question 3 (i) of the short answer questions in section A.