Less stress in new exam timetable

I WISH to point out some glaring inaccuracies and faults in Aisling Twomey’s assertions regarding the new Leaving Certificate timetable (Letters, December 3).

First of all, Ms Twomey emphasises the point that the new combination of exams will disorientate us, poor students, due to conflicting content. As a chemistry student, I welcome the prospect of having a short, relatively easy exam after a difficult English Paper II. Education Minister Mary Hanafin should be praised for her terrific mix of “concentrated writing papers with mathematical or scientific papers”.

Would Ms Twomey really prefer to write upwards of 20 pages of English in a few hours? Or take business and history on the same day? The Leaving Cert courses a have been designed for several decades to be examined in a very short space of time. I have never heard anyone complain in such a rancorous tone about this fact of life. Well done to the minister for lessening the intense physical and mental strain of the first few days of the exams.

She produced this new timetable with the help of more than 200 Leaving Cert students and with ‘student friendliness’ in mind. Ms Twomey’s point of view seems wide of the mark in terms of the general student population.

Finally, she refers to “nervous breakdowns” and “major depressive episodes”.

More than 55,000 students go through the system every year.

For Ms Twomey to compare the Leaving Cert to other, much more distressing life affairs is insulting to those who suffer from bereavements and life-changing disasters.

Cathal Ó Choncubhair

Murroe

Co Limerick