The irate reaction to last Thursday's Leaving Certificate higher-level history exam continues.

ASTI convenor Mr John O'Sullivan said he has been inundated with phone calls. "I have been history convenor for a long time and this is the most unpopular and considered to be the most unfair history paper in many years," he said.

Mr O'Sullivan will be making a formal report to the Department of Education's marking conference to be held this Friday in Athlone. "The ASTI represents 80 per cent of teachers at second level and has a network of 56 branches. We will be making a composite report. In the past the recommendations of the ASTI have carried significant weight." "There is no doubt that the exam got it wrong, omitting major topics. I think it has done enormous damage. It is highly questionable as to whom the exam was aimed at - hardly the average 17-or 18-year-old. The Leaving Cert is unlike A levels where students only do two or three topics."

In fairness, he said, most of the past Leaving Cert history exams have been fine but this exam has damaged the trust students have in their teachers. A number of teachers have said that they are embarrassed meeting their students.

A spokesman for the Department of Education said that all of the topics on the paper were on the syllabus. He also said he was "surprised at Mr O'Sullivan's comments when two representatives of the ASTI, including Mr O'Sullivan, had publicly welcomed the papers last week."

A number of parents rang Exam Times wondering how to complain about the paper. The spokesman said they should write to the chief examiner for history at the Department of Education's exams branch in Athlone, Co Westmeath.

On checking with the Department, a spokesman said any parent who wanted to complain should write to the chief examiner for history at the Department of Education Exams Branch in Athlone. But, he pointed out that all of the topics on the paper were on the syllabus.