Jess Casey: Students face toughest test with exam uncertainty

Almost 1,700 students contacted the 'Irish Examiner' this week when we asked them this week to share how they feel about the Leaving and Junior Cert exams. Here's what some had to say, writes Jess Casey

Mark Berney at Gorey Community College, County Wexford holding a copy of his Leaving Cert results with 9 A1s printed on it.

"Nothing about life right now is normal, so how can we be expected to sit a normal Leaving Cert? The worst-case scenario for me is walking into an exam in June feeling so worried and at a disadvantage like I'm being set up for failure after all the learning time we've missed."

That's according to Amélie Rose Patterson, a Leaving Cert student from Donegal. She is one of almost 1,700 students to contact the Irish Examiner when we asked them this week to share how they feel about the Leaving and Junior Cert exams. 

They reported big differences in remote learning,Some have pre-recorded lessons, while other students report full days of live classes. Many students told us they have problems with broadband or struggle with distractions at home. They have no idea when they’ll be back in a classroom, but many are worried about being exposed to the virus. Many reported sitting at their desks from early in the morning until 10pm and that their work is “piling up”. 

Leaving Cert student Julia Kaptein: 'The worst-case scenario is for me to do my mocks, unprepared and stressed out, go back to school, feel unsafe, and have to quarantine often and eventually having to sit the Leaving Cert.'

“I get such bad headaches every day as I spend a minimum of nine hours a day on screens for Zoom from 8.40am until 4pm and then I have to do homework and study until about 7pm,” one Junior Cert student said.

When it comes to the exams, responses are mixed. Most Junior Cert students said they would like their exams to be cancelled. Some Leaving Cert students want the exams cancelled, others do not. Many would like the choice between a written exam or calculated grades. One thing is loud and clear – they all want some form of an update, and soon.

Leaving Cert student Kevin Warren: 'I am now extremely anxious as to how I will fare should we get a traditional exam at the end of the year.'

Kevin Warren, a Leaving Cert student in Cork, is hoping to someday work in the aviation industry or to become a teacher. He finds remote learning difficult. “It's completely draining me,” he said. “It's also having a major impact on my mental health as I am now extremely anxious as to how I will fare should we get a traditional exam at the end of the year.” 

A decision should be made without delay, he added. 

Ellie Barclay is a sixth-year student at St Angela’s College, Cork. After school, she would like to study chemical sciences in Trinity. She doesn’t feel under too much pressure with remote learning, as she feels like she has plenty of time to study and to take breaks to get some fresh air. 

Leaving Cert student Ellie Barclay: 'The thought of predicted grades terrifies me.'

“I'm one of the many students who actually want to sit the exams,” she told the Irish Examiner. “The thought of predicted grades terrifies me. Although I am a consistent worker, I want to prove my grade, not allow my teachers to decide where they should rank me compared to my classmates.” 

Alan Cox, a sixth-year student from Kildare,  said he would like to see the cancellation of the Leaving Cert exams “outright". “Seems like the Government keeps stalling the decision over the exams until they can point to low Covid numbers as an excuse to sit the exams, missing the point entirely.” 

Ellen Kearney, a sixth-year student in Dublin, said she is finding remote learning “draining” at the moment, even though she can get up later and doesn’t have to commute to school. “It is difficult trying to find the motivation to do anything and staring at a screen for seven hours of live classes is challenging.

“I am also finding it difficult to study for the Leaving Cert on top of all the work I am doing since I'm sitting at the same desk in front of the same screen for hours on end.” 

Due to the amount of class time sixth years have missed through school closures, she believes they should be offered a choice between predicted grades, or some form of continuous assessment. 

Leaving Cert student Ellen Kearney: 'Staring at a screen for seven hours of live classes is challenging.'

“I think it is completely unfair to expect us to sit a huge exam after all the stresses the last two years have brought. Nothing about the last two years has been traditional so why give us a traditional exam?” 

Julia Kaptein is an international student from the Netherlands studying at St Columba's College in Dublin. “The worst-case scenario is for me to do my mocks, unprepared and stressed out, go back to school, feel unsafe, and have to quarantine often and eventually having to sit the Leaving Cert.” 

Leaving Cert student Barry Vosloo:' Best-case scenario, I would take a choice between calculated grades and a written exam.'

Barry Vosloo is a sixth-year student in St Peter's Community School in Passage West, Cork. He hopes to study finance next year. “Best-case scenario, I would take a choice between calculated grades and a written exam. The hybrid option is simply unfeasible. Worst-case scenario is we have to sit the Leaving Cert exams as normal. Even the modifications to the papers this year for many of my subjects were minimal and frankly unhelpful.”

Damilola Arowobusoye, a sixth-year student from Longford, said fifth and sixth year has been "so hard".

“I'm finding it very stressful as we're playing catch-up and it's hard to stay motivated,” she said.  

Leaving Cert student Damilola Arowobusoye: 'Predicted grades would make students work harder year-round as they would be graded on the work, not on a memory game.'

“I would probably do well in a written exam if we had two normal years but would prefer predicted grades. Teachers and the Government want an exam like they think they are doing us a favour, like it's a right of passage. But predicted grades would make students work harder year-round as they would be graded on the work, not on a memory game.”