Junior Cert Business Studies: Mortgage rules crops up on higher paper

Junior Certificate Business Studies was topical and accessible, with the higher level paper featuring a question on the new mortgage rules.

Keith Connolly a busyness studies teacher in Lusk Community College in Dublin said both ordinary level and higher papers “were in line with recent years.”

“Students were very happy with it. It was a very current paper; students were asked a question about the new mortgage rules that were imposed. That’s showing how in line with current affairs the paper was

“Students would have liked the analyse cash book question on paper two,” said Mr Connolly.

“The mortgage question about the rules for first time buyers was very topical but may have thrown some students if they were’t read up with current affairs. Overall students and teachers would have been very happy with both papers,” said Mr Connolly.

On the higher level paper one students were asked to calculate the maximum mortgage a person could get from a financial institution for a house costing €290,000 under the new mortgage rules.

They were also asked to calculate the deposit the person would need to purchase a house costing €290,000.

Savings and loans

David Duffy who is Education Officer with the Teacher’s Union of Ireland and a Business Studies teacher in Adamstown Community College, Dublin said the business studies paper at both levels “were a good test of students knowledge.”

“The higher and ordinary level papers good coverage of the course with topics such as economics, savings, loans, budgeting and final accounts appearing on both levels,” he said.

Mr Duffy said the Ordinary Level paper had a good choice of questions .

“Students usually enjoy questions on banking and budgeting and this year is no exception. The exam is a good test of numeracy skills for example in the final accounts and farm accounts questions,” said Mr Duffy.

Mr Duffy said the higher level paper one was very up to date with relevant issues and featured a question on economic growth and EU membership.

Mr Duffy said the higher level paper two was a good test of student knowledge of business whilst also being in line with expectations from previous years. “Questions on ledgers, final accounts and business documents would have been well-rehearsed by students. Question six was very imaginative in using the idea of renting housing to tenants as a basis for a question on business ownership and sales promotion,” said Mr Duffy.