Secondary students present wish-list

LONGER time to sit exams, regular teacher assessments and an updated sex education programme are included in a Christmas wish-list from secondary students to the Government.

The list of 35 items was submitted in a letter to Education Minister Noel Dempsey from the Union of Secondary Students (USS) this week.

USS president Daire Hickey said that providing an extra half an hour for Leaving Certificate English, History and Classical Studies papers would make a big difference.

“There is an awful lot of writing to be done for these exams, especially in English which has two papers on the first day of the Leaving,” said Mr Hickey.

The student body has also requested a full RSE (Relationships and Sexuality Education) programme to be introduced because the existing one does not deal enough with sexual health and awareness.

“The Government is refusing to acknowledge that teenagers are having sex, even though it is obvious from teenage pregnancy figures,” Mr Hickey said.

He said that students would like to have their teachers assessed on a regular basis, with rewards for those teachers who are performing well.

However, they feel incompetent teachers should be dismissed.

The USS is also demanding the introduction of a full national book rental scheme and that all schools should have cafeteria services, and student toilets which are up to proper standards.