Junior maths: end of an era

JUNIOR CERTIFICATE/Maths: It's the last hurrah for the old-style Junior Cert maths exam. From next year, students will be tested on a new revamped maths syllabus and - for the first time - calculators have been sanctioned for use in the exam.

Unlike their senior colleagues sitting Leaving Cert maths, Junior Cert candidates have always had to do their sums on paper. Permitting the use of calculators should make life easier for students, but not all teachers are sold on the idea.

"There'll be a large emphasis on the use of calculators at all levels and there is a danger of over-dependance on them," said Maria Kelly, a teacher in Bishopstown Community School, Cork.

Other teachers are more in favour of allowing calculators, particularly for ordinary- and foundation-level students. "In general, it's a good idea. They'll be able to check their answers on the calculators and it will give them a positive affirmation about themselves," said Cammie Gallagher, a teacher in St Jarlath's College, Tuam, Co Galway.

For this year's papers, the reception was reasonably positive at all levels. In St Paul's Community College, Waterford, Thomas O'Connor's students found the higher-level paper straightforward and manageable.

The students in Bishopstown Community School coped well the the ordinary-level paper, said Kelly, who liked question 1 - which started off "nice and easy" but got trickier further down.