Dear Leo Varadkar , Department of education and to Whom else it may concern

Now is a time of great stress for all, we have many selfless members of our communities and states who are all contributing to make sure that we as one persevere through this time.

Recently the the department of education has called for the cancellation of leaving cert orals for the current year in order to ease the stress on students who are in their final year of the senior cycle, I partly agree with this action, apart from the overlooking of the senior cycle as a whole, although 6th year students are the priority at the current time, I feel that the fact that the entire senior cycle (6th&5th) has been overlooked.

The current situation has a knock on effect that transcends the current year, at present students are required to learn 20 tSraith Pictiúr which in the present curriculum are already stressed for time to be completed by the end of the two year cycle as well as other key topics they are expected to know. This also stands for the modern languages. German for example has 5 of these picture stories to learn as well as various role play scenarios to be prepared.

For many , myself included, the current online learning poses a problem for this section of course. I like many others find it difficult to revise and prepare these sections of the course alone and even with help from the online classes there is a barrier between teacher and pupil and is unfair to those who do not have undivided access to these facilities.

Not only this but on return to the normal school environment teaching will be ramped up to a faster pace in other to cover these sections, thus causing the quality of both written and oral components of exams to drop, and for those students who have a lesser ability in these subjects but truly work hard to keep higher level up will have no choice but only to opt out of the higher course which is grossly unfair to there ethic and determination to keep up the higher course.

Thus I am calling for the Cancellation of leaving cert orals 2021, for the betterment of well being and mental health of all in senior cycle not just 6th year

#4Seniorcycle