Leaving Cert: Arabic: It was a tale of Arabian oversights when students in at least two secondary schools opened their higher and ordinary level papers in Arabic yesterday.
The State Examination Commission is taking "very seriously" allegations by students and teachers that both the ordinary and higher Leaving Cert papers in Arabic contained questions not on the syllabus.
Outside expertise was "bought in" to write the paper, and this expertise will be unavailable until Monday to answer complaints.
In the higher paper, students were asked to describe Arabic culture in Spain, even though teachers - Ali Selim of the Islamic Cultural Institute and Mohammed of Bruce College, both in Dublin - say that this subject was not "in the book".
In the lower paper, students were expected to address a complex idea concerning rhythm in language which, the teachers say, was not in the syllabus.
Many students also felt confused when they discovered that in one question on the higher paper, they were asked to provide a 15-line answer on a space with only seven lines. The State Examinations Commissions responded that the front page offered students the option of requesting additional paper, so there should not have been a problem.