Students must stop worrying, says ASTI

UNION RESPONSE:THE ASSOCIATION of Secondary Teachers of Ireland (ASTI) has urged Leaving Certificate students to stop worrying about the English paper postponement and to concentrate on the exams ahead.

It also warned students not to try to second guess what might be on tomorrow’s paper based on what they were told about the leaked English paper because the papers were set by different groups. The ASTI said it was in students’ interests to move on from the matter.

“This is a very stressful time and we need to encourage calm now,” a spokeswoman said.

She said no students would be penalised or disadvantaged because they were all in the same boat. She also said the ASTI had to accept that the commission was not in a position to provide its contingency English paper 2 in time for Thursday morning.

She warned that students should not try to predict what would be on the contingency paper based on what they heard about the original paper.

“The contingency exam paper was set by different people than the first exam paper and there would have been no communication between them,” she said.

Clive Byrne, director of the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals, said they would be meeting the exam commission to review what had happened. The matter was down to human error, he said, and it was very hard to legislate for that. Sitting the exam on Saturday was the “least worst” option under the circumstances, he said.

“Principals and deputy principals will do everything they can to ensure disruption to students is minimised, that is our primary concern at the moment,” Mr Byrne said. “There will be lessons to be learned when the dust settles.”

The Teachers’ Union of Ireland said they would not be commenting on the matter.

The position of exam supervisor is filled by applicants who apply to the SEC each year. The SEC stipulates that only secondary school teachers, either in service or retired, are suitable for the post.