THE time of year where nerves and anxiety may set in, today marks the beginning of the Leaving Certificate with students sitting down for their written exams with English paper 1.
This year has seen many challenges facing students with the pandemic interfering with the normal schedule of the annual exams.
There will be fewer numbers of students sitting down to take the exam compared to years gone by, understandably so. This year gave students the option of part taking in the exam or receiving accredited grades with some opting for both.
For those who are sitting the leaving cert today can also have their grades calculated in what is new to the Irish education system with the possibility of having both options allowing for a new approach to the examination.
There will be a slightly more lenient approach with the papers this year as there will be a higher number of choices for students to compensate for what has been a highly disruptive academic year.
Each student will have an assigned seat to which they will carry out all exams over the duration of the entire leaving certificate.
With the difficulty of the year in itself for students , not just the challenge of the leaving cert exam , words of support have been offered from Julie Kilmartin who runs Kilmartin Educational services, a Munster based educational establishment with premises in both Limerick and Ennis.
Before the tests got underway Julie stated:” To everyone involved, we wish you all a safe few weeks ahead, let’s take it day by day, well done! The class of 2021, we wish you health and happiness”.
“Today will go down in history when teachers, students, government, parents, our school community and mental health were on the same team, it has been an incredible roller coaster, Living life is education and we have certainly learned a lot this year, choice, options , fairness, understanding , mental well-being, social distancing are all key words to take from this year” Julie added.
The exams will run through to June 29th.
