If the Leaving Cert has shown a bit of a fetish for all things Irish over the last few days, it got its first multi-cultural jolt yesterday with the Arabic higher and ordinary-level papers.

The subject made its first appearance in the Leaving Cert in 1999, following a request from a school in Tripoli, Libya. Some 140 candidates entered for Arabic this year. Seventy students sat the paper yesterday at the Institute of Education in Dublin. "A lot of students from the Gulf come to the institute to do the Leaving Cert and then go on to study medicine and dentistry," John McGee, director of international students at the institute, said. "The Arabic exam gives them the language requirement for matriculation and gives them the chance to score points.

However the paper is very difficult, McGee said. Students are required to answer questions in modern and classical Arabic and in-dept questions on Arabic culture. "Students don't usually score. As and B's in the exam," he said.

Colaiste Muire in Ennis, Co Clare, had just one entrant for the exam - Lydia, a student from Iran. "Quite a number of people have come here from Iran and Lydia is a very bright student." Said principal Jean Pound. However just a few days ago, Lydia decided to withdraw from the Arabic exam because she felt the syllabus was too difficult. "It's quite a tough exam, she had worked mainly on her own and she felt she wasn't prepared for the sections on Arabic culture," Pound said.

The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) said the Arabic syllabus is currently under review.