Junior Cert home economics students were not under too much pressure yesterday as 50 of the marks at higher level and 60 at ordinary level had already been allotted to practical work done during the year.
"The practical element is a crucial to the home economics exams," Deirdre Healy, teaching at St Joseph's Secondary School, Stanhope Street, Dublin, said.
"People who wouldn't be good at the written work can often really shine in the practical exams."
However, she said yesterday's papers should not have caused any major problems for students. "My students had a very positive response to the higher level paper. The layout was excellent and the key requirements in the questions were underlined.
Sandra Hill, teaching in St Peter's College, Dunboyne, Co Meath, also praised the layout of the paper and said: "Anyone who had the work well covered would have found it an enjoyable paper".
The ordinary-level paper was "fair clear and unambiguous", she said, with very good use of language.
