Junior Cert Maths - paper 2:Yesterday's Junior Cert ordinary-level maths exam was notable for the number of students who left early, according to some teachers.

"This is a trend I have watched growing over the years and yesterday was the worst so far," said maths teacher Jim Healy.

"As soon as the students see a question with the slightest element of difficulty, they give up. Many of these students could do a lot better if they just stuck out the exam and tried a bit harder."

John Brennan, a subject expert from learning resource Skoool.ie, agreed. "The number of Junior Cert students I saw hanging around town when they should have been in their maths exam is evidence of the trend."

For those students that stuck it out in yesterday's exam, paper 2 proved easier than Friday's paper 1, which had been criticised by students, despite positive reactions from teachers.

Some students noted that yesterday's ordinary-level Junior Cert paper featured a question that was identical to a question that appeared on the ordinary-level Leaving Cert exam.

The higher-level paper, taken by almost half of all Junior Cert students, was roundly welcomed by teachers, who described it as "well-timed" and "well-proofed".

"The students at Benildus College loved it," said Mr Brennan. "There were no problem sections and the question on geometry was especially easy."