Student denied dyslexic facility

A STUDENT with dyslexia has had his request for Leaving Cert exam concessions turned down despite a psychologist’s report saying he should qualify.

Edwin Murphy, an 18-year-old student in St Peter’s community school in Passage West, Cork, has been told by the State Examinations Commission that “it is the opinion of the psychologist that within the terms of the scheme he does not warrant reasonable accommodations”.

This is despite the fact that a psychologist’s report commissioned by his mother, Eileen, strongly recommended he should be eligible.

She has also criticised a six month delay between the time the Department of Education received Edwin’s school’s request and when it was processed.

Dyslexia is specific learning difficulty which makes it hard for some people to read, write and spell correctly.

Because of his dyslexia, it takes Edwin a long time to write exam answers. “I get very frustrated at times. It just takes me so long to get the answer out. My grammar is always marked down, for the simplest of mistakes. And sometimes, I don’t get to answer all the questions on an exam because it takes me so long,” he said.

Edwin plans to sit his Art History, French and Maths exams as usual next June. But any hope he had of doing his English, Biology and Chemistry exams by speaking the answers and having them recorded has been shattered.

Eileen Murphy said she was very disappointed with the outcome.

“I can’t understand how on the one hand our psychologist’s report, which cost us €280, said Edwin should get the concessions, and then the State Examination Commission’s psychologist said he shouldn’t,” she said.

The Examinations Commission said the examiners will be under instruction to mark Edwin’s exams in accordance with the marking scheme to ensure he is given credit for the work done.

Edwin gets great support in St Peter’s, Eileen said. And she has also discussed the issue with UCC’s Disability Support Services, who do everything in their power to accommodate students with dyslexia, she explained.

There is an appeals process, but Eileen said by the time their appeal has been processed, the pre-Leaving Cert exams will have already begun, leaving little time for Edwin to plan ahead.

A spokeswoman for the State Examinations Commission said it was their policy not comment on specific cases.

But she pointed out that the appeals process is totally independent.

Meanwhile, Dyslexia Association Ireland is bringing leading experts in the study of dyslexia to Cork next week to run a course for parents in the Rochestown Park Hotel.

The day-long course takes place on February 7 from 10.30am to 4pm.

Details are available from www.dyslexia.ie or tel: [phone].