Madam, - As somebody whose illness, myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), was adversely affected by an intense series of exams, and who knows the health of other people with ME is also at risk from the exertions involved in sitting the Leaving Cert, I am disappointed with the new timetable.
A close inspection reveals that, of the 37 subjects taken in the Leaving Cert in 2007, the most widely taken 11 are all in the first 12 subjects that students will sit next year (chemistry was the 14th most widely taken). If the Minister was serious about spreading out the workload, why were not some of these subjects placed in the final week? - Yours, etc,
TOM KINDLON, Information Officer, Irish ME/CFS Association, Dublin 2.
Madam, - The proposed Leaving Certificate timetable changes may initially appear to be "a welcome reform" which will ease the burden of "frontloaded" students in the first few days of the exam. While I accept that the proposal is well intentioned, a closer look at the timetable reveals that it will disadvantage some students and further compound the very stress it attempts to alleviate.
It is suggested that the new schedule of subjects of the first two days of the exam may negatively affect only a small percentage of students. However, when geography is factored in as proposed on the third day, then the number of students negatively affected will significantly increase. At least with the placement of the core subjects on the current timetable it is equally unfair to all students!
It does not seem beneficial or additionally considerate to me to expect students to make unnecessary mind shifts of concentration between English, home economics, chemistry, geography and maths (or a combination of some of the above) when the current schedule allows students to remain in a single-subject frame of mind for that day before moving on to the next subject. Even admitting the unreasonable amount of writing involved in the current schedule, this proposal as presented is distracting in the extreme.
Further, students may commence selecting Leaving Certificate subjects based on their positioning on the suggested Leaving Certificate timetable; this goes against all best practice of guidance and is certainly not recommended by this guidance counsellor but I can envisage students adopting such a strategy given the importance of the exam.
If we really want to tackle the problem of writing fatigue would it not be possible to simply spread out the first three days of the exams over six days but keep the current schedule in place? In this way all students would benefit equally and it would be fair.
Finally, I hope that this initiative is truly student focused and not purse centred. - Yours, etc,
THELMA JONES, Guidance Counsellor The High School, Rathgar, Dublin 6.
Madam - I am a Leaving Cert student and wish to express my dissatisfaction with the recent Leaving Certificate timetable amendments.
Firstly, it has been assumed that students will receive half-days as a result of the changes. Well, did anyone ever stop to consider the students who actually do these "minority subjects" and more specifically, the students who are unfortunate enough to have chosen both of these subjects? I am one such student and so will have to sit both home economics and chemistry exams alongside English papers. These subjects are completely different and require a very different approach and frame of mind. In your Editorial (Nov 27th) you stated that students will "no longer be required to take two challenging and diverseh subjects like French and business on the one day". Surely chemistry and English would be considered such a combination.
Admittedly, the previous timetable was tiring and draining but at least it was fair to all students. Everyone was faced with the same challenge and so all students were on a level playing field. Now, many students like myself, will have to endure two very taxing days of exams while our classmates sit at home relaxing and regrouping for English Paper 2.
I have already sent my UCAS form and all of the courses I have selected demand an A1 in chemistry. This is a huge challenge at the best of times but under the new circumstances this goal has become even more unattainable.
Mary Hanafin should be considering all students, not simply the "majority". - Yours, etc,
SINEAD HYLAND, Ramelton, Co Donegal.