The teachers’ strike is causing great worry for pupils who are losing valuable school time, according to one Leaving Cert student from Co Kerry.

Art O'Mahony is in a class of 30 boys at St Patrick's secondary school in Castleisland, which draws its students from the Sliabh Luachra area of north Cork and Kerry, and is one of three second-level schools in the town.

After a week off for mid-term, it felt odd to be given further free time, said O’Mahony, who usually attends in-school supervised after-school study. “I am usually at school until 6pm. It’s a bit unnatural for me to be at home.”

Leaving Cert students are worried about projects and getting course work completed. “All students, not just Leaving Certs, are in a very precarious position – there is great uncertainty. I am making contingency plans, but it is difficult because of the total uncertainty.”

He was at a double loss on Monday – Castleisland library is closed on Mondays and this is where he would normally go to study on free days. Being at home means “being alongside the phone and beside the kitchen”, both of them distractions.

O’Mahony is taking six honours subjects and hopes to study law next year. History, which is a huge subject and has a project that must be completed, is of immediate concern. However, other subjects will also suffer. He said other students in the area were worried about home economics, which has a project due this week.

“A week off is disastrous,” said O’Mahony, who plans to go to the library if school remains closed this week. “There are no winners here. Everyone loses.”