LEAVING CERT RELIGIOUS EDUCATION:UNIVERSITY STUDENTS of theology would have been better able to take on yesterday's higher level Religious Education exam for the Leaving Cert, critics say.
The paper was described as “very challenging” with questions on existentialism, religion and science and gender.
Aisling Flood of St Joseph’s Secondary School in Drogheda said the paper would have suited a student with higher order critical skills and a very good command of English.
“Question 2, on non-religious communal values, was very challenging,” she said. “Students would have needed deep insights into concepts of humanism and existentialism.
“The language of question B, on Jesus in literature, was unspecific.Average students would have had trouble with it.”
A question on the relationship between religion and science would have “really separated the higher ability candidate from the rest. High-level critical thinking skills were required,” said Ms Flood.
Students were asked to consider the relationship between God and science under two headings – “God of the Gaps” and “God as Creator”.
They were also asked to consider the statement that “Life in Ireland today can present challenges to world religions” and to outline the way in which individual rights are balanced with the idea of the common good in civil law.
In a section on religion and gender, students were required to profile how “the gender of one person or group has contributed to their experience of either empowerment or freedom in any world religion”.
“This paper reminded me of my first year in theology at university,” said Ms Flood.
Almost 1,200 students took religious education papers yesterday.
Subject uptake is steadily increasing since the subject was first examined seven years ago. Almost half of all students take religious education at Junior Cert level.
The ordinary level paper, with 160 candidates, was described as a good extension of the Junior Cert syllabus.