TONY MURRAY, a 17-year-old Leaving Cert student at Pobalscoil Rosmini in Drumcondra, Dublin, has had problems with two of his exams already. On the first day of the Leaving Cert, only one ordinary-level English paper in braille arrived at the exam centre where he and another blind student were sitting the exam. Both were doing ordinary-level English.
"He was offered the higher paper, but declined, his mother, Ms Marian Murray, told Exam Times. "He had to wait for an hour before another ordinary-level paper arrived. There was a big build-up of nerves and he was getting annoyed."
Everything else was all right until the history exam last Monday afternoon, she continued. "Only one ordinary-level paper in braille arrived and both boys were doing this level. I didn't do anything the first time - I thought on the first morning it was a hiccup."
The morning after the history exam, Ms Murray telephoned the Department of Education. "They said they would have to get a letter from the school - they weren't interested. I rang the headmaster and he said he would write to the Department."
Blind children have so many pressures trying to do exams, she said .... . even things like making sure the typewriter ribbon is right. Tony types most of his exam papers, although not for subjects like maths."
Ms Murray said that her son was thinking of studying music and also had applied for computing. "We'll just have to wait now until we see what results he gets," she said.
A spokesman for the Department said that a report on the matter would be considered by the chief inspector and the particular circumstances would be taken into account.