Sir, - We are a group of history teachers from the West Midlands/ East Galway region. Many of us have taught the subject for upwards of 25 years at higher level. Some of the group are also experienced examiners. We regard ourselves as being very committed to our subject and each year we organise seminars and workshops for senior history students. Having carefully examined and considered the recent Higher Level Leaving Cert. paper, we feel that we must speak out, first of all in support of our students and secondly as teachers of history who are gravely concerned about the adverse impact which we feel this paper will have on the status of history in what has become a very crowded curriculum.
Undoubtedly, there is a great deal of anger and disappointment focused on this year's exam and it is the unanimous view of our group that the paper was unfair. It put students at a serious disadvantage, despite two years' hard work during which time they covered a wide range of mainstream topics reflecting all the main trends and events in both Irish and European history as demanded by the Department of Education and Science syllabus.
It is surely reasonable to expect that, in the limited class time available, both students and teachers will place emphasis on mainline topics. Therefore it is very discouraging and most upsetting for students to find that this paper ignored much of the material which had been prepared. Are those whose responsibility it is to set examinations such as this aware of what actually pertains in the classroom? We think not.
The exam should enable students to display their knowledge and skills. This paper seems to have been designed, in large measure, to do neither, thus leaving students disillusioned and unfortunately very distressed in the middle of a very demanding exam schedule.
We also note that the level of response demanded by many questions was more in line with what one would find on a third-level degree course exam. It should be realised that this exam is being taken by candidates who are mostly merely 17 years of age, and that history is but one of seven subjects which they have to deal with.
We would also like to point out that many of the questions could not be adequately dealt with by a reliance on any of the standard textbooks in general use. This again is unfair as students rely heavily on such resources. In addition, many candidates have to devote a significant amount of time to the preparation of a special study. This leaves no time for further research on topics not dealt with in standard texts to the level demanded by this exam.
In the interest of students, it is imperative that the approach to assessment will take on board the fact that this was not a fair test and that many hard-working, capable students were seriously disadvantaged. - Yours, etc.,
Eamonn O'Donoghue, St Cuan's College, Castleblakeney. Ray Linnane, Marist College, Athlone. Patricia Johnson, Garbally College, Ballinasloe. Michael Fahy, Mercy College, Woodford. Mary Higgins, Summerhill College, Athlone. Michael Flanagan, St Mary's College, Ballygar.