FIVE or six years in second level are likely to have coloured the answers of Leaving Cert students asked to state the purpose of education. Higher level home economics (social and scientific) students were also asked to describe four of the principle features of contemporary education in Ireland and to summarise the factors that influence educational achievement.

Ms Ann McNicholl, TUI subject representative, said that the higher level paper was "straight forward, clear, concise and well worded with no hidden agendas." It was a challenging paper with no room for waffle. Overall, students were very happy.

Ms Margaret McCluskey, ASTI subject representative, agreed that the higher level paper was fine. She had a number of calls about question 7, which asked students to state how consumer legislation, labelling of manufactured home good and purification of domestic water contributed to a safer home environment for all age groups. The application to all age groups made it a very wide question.

Students had to choose five questions from nine. All questions carry equal marks but the marking is not broken down by section within the questions. This is customary on most other Leaving Cert papers and would be a great help to students, said Ms McCluskey.

At ordinary level, Ms McNicholl said that the paper was proportionately more difficult for the level of student. Question 2 was rather long, said Ms McNicholl, while question 8 on the selection of cookware and household goods was far too difficult for ordinary level students, she said. Overall, the questions were very specific and to the point.

Ms McCluskey said that the ordinary level paper was good.

Some 22,904 students were registered for the home economics (social and scientific paper) while 290 students were registered for home economics (general).