Sir, - I have contacted the Department of Education to express my concern about the format of this year's Higher Level papers in history and geography for the Leaving Certificate.
My son is still reeling from the experience. He is fortunate as he is an able, hard-working student who has, I hope, kept his head and managed to extricate himself from the problems presented by these two papers.
As a secondary school teacher, I object, however, that this should be necessary. He feels betrayed because his years of commitment to these subjects were undermined by examinations set to expose weakness rather than allow for a chance to shine. The most difficult challenge was to face into the next examination, in French, in French with the nagging fear that the goalposts would once more have been shifted.
As shown by the continued criticism of the history paper in Exam Times, to which will be added, I am sure, negative comment about geography, there are surely grounds now for a reassessment of the suitability of both examinations with a consequent review of the marking schemes. - Yours, etc., Adele Hutchinson,
Jarretstown, Dunboyne, Co Meath.