Madam, - Now that the dust is beginning to settle on the Leaving Cert, until August at least, I believe that some self-examination on the part of the Department of Education is necessary.
As a parent of two Leaving Cert students, and as a psychologist, I am outraged at the utter contempt that has been shown to the students by: (a) errors in the exam papers; and (b) those teachers who chose not to cover aspects of the course because "they won't come up".
Will anyone be held answerable for the fact that, firstly, some of the papers do not appear to have been even proof-read; and, secondly, those setting some of the papers did not appear to be familiar with the content of the course?
Does anyone ask what these experiences will have done to the self-esteem of young people already addled with a rigid system where two years' work has to be reproduced in a three-hour exam? I believe it is not sufficient to offer the explanation that "allowances will be made" for poorly thought-out questions. Have we all forgotten our own exam-taking days?
The long-term effect on students' self-esteem is of even greater concern. A sense of capability is central to one's confidence. It goes without saying that a poorly thought-out or an illogical question will undermine the confidence of a young person already under stress. Furthermore, this type of unfair challenge at an already stressful occasion is bound to be etched in their psyche indefinitely.
The education system should aim to enhance and endorse the self-esteem of our young people rather than undermining already shaky self-confidence. As stated by your columnist Kathryn Holmquist in last Friday's edition, our present system seems to seek to find out what students do not know, rather than what they know.
I would like to ask the Minister of Education: What are his plans to ensure that errors are eliminated from future papers? And what measures will he put in place to see that teachers be held responsible for teaching the full course? Surely it is not unreasonable to ask that any professional be expected to perform their duties to this minimum standard. - Yours, etc.,
EILEEN KELLY, Knocknacarra, Galway.